Diamond in the Dirt
by Nattle the Nettle
Summary: NaruSasuNaru, AU. Life's terrible when you're poor, even when you've got the best of drugs, whores and booze to keep you going. When Naruto is employed by Fugaku, he learns that it gets a whole lot worse with Sasuke in the equation.
1. Streets, slags and snobs

**Diamond in the Dirt **

**Warning: Rated M for sex with prostitute, swearing throughout the entire story**

Author's notes: Welcome to Diamond in the Dirt. I hope I can pull this story off, as it's been nagging at me for weeks and I'm writing up chapters so fast my fingers hurt. Inspiration like that has gotta be worth something (hopefully). Thanks for reading. This chapter was beta-d by Anime Yaoi Lover and revised on the 12th April 2008.

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**Chapter one**

**Streets, slags and snobs**

Naruto's forehead crinkled and he tucked his arms in tighter to his stomach. He brought his knees up to his chest and pressed his cold nose to the bony joints of his leg. The drumming on the metal trashcan a few metres away grew louder and Naruto's temper stirred to life.

"The fuck?!" he yelled out hoarsely at whoever was responsible for the metallic cacophony. "We're trynna sleep 'ere, ya bastards!" He pulled his grubby blanket over his head, shivering wretchedly in the freezing morning cold. He was furious that he'd been woken so soon. Nobody appreciated how hard it was for him to get to sleep out on the streets.

He felt a sharp tug at his blanket and hung onto it fiercely. He popped his head out of the makeshift tent and bared his teeth fiercely at the thief. It was one of the little brats that hung around the food shops on the next street thinking they were cute enough to wangle scraps from gullible shopkeepers. Naruto knew that food was not in short supply with the brats – they worked as a unit and had accumulated quite the pantry. It was just a shame that it was so well-hidden.

"Come on, chief!" The kid pleaded, giving Naruto a gap-toothed fleeting smile. He was holding the edge of the blanket pitifully. "It's freezing and my little sister won't live through this winter without something to keep her warm. She's got a killer bout of flu. Come on, chief." He gave Naruto the puppy eyes. Naruto was a sucker for puppy eyes.

"Have it, kid." Naruto released his end of the blanket and rubbed his arms when the freezing air met the skin the blanket had been covering. The kid scooted off without so much as a word of thanks. He was as fucking gullible as those shopkeepers, being duped by the kid. Naruto cursed after him.

Still, he couldn't waste away mourning a lost blanket. Judging by the light, it was about five-thirty and the markets would be opening soon. He'd have to grab a bite to eat while the stallholders were still unloading their vans. He glanced around the pile of black plastic bin-bags that had served as his bed for that night, searching for his belongings.

His bag was wedged into his hip – he'd slept on it to keep his more desirable items safe – and his scarf was buried beneath one of the bin-bags by his feet. He gave himself a grim smile of approval for the hiding places as he started winding the dirty orange scarf around his neck. He pulled holey gloves out of his bag and rammed a hat on his head, tugging it down low over his forehead and ears.

Naruto heaved himself to his feet, testing his weight on both legs to see how quickly he'd be able to run if he had to. They were fine – a bit stiff because of the cold but that was nothing a bit of walking wouldn't fix. He slung his bag over his shoulder and swaggered down the street towards the square.

He stopped by old Kiba for a spot of the gin he carried around with him to warm up and gave Akamaru the dog a kibble as an exchange. He told Kiba he'd lost his blanket and asked if he knew of somewhere warm he could spend the night. Kiba told him regretfully that they'd be on the streets a while longer as the lodging houses were being police-checked for the next week. Kiba swore that Orochimaru had tipped them off.

"I'm off down the market," Naruto told Kiba. "Want me to get you something? I've been storing up some running in my legs." He winked and nodded in the direction of the market. Kiba bared his sharp yellow teeth in thought and made a low growling sound.

"You'd better have some run, friend, because they're all for getting us lot. There must be someone awful important around for them to be this fussed about us. You don't need to do me any favours today; I don't want you caught." That worried Naruto, but he was too hungry to go without food. He nodded again.

"You don't want any gin?" he asked. If Kiba didn't have any, he wouldn't get any tomorrow. Kiba shook his head.

"I've got a good deal with Tsunade. She'll give me a dose of the ol' medicine and I'll keep the business running smooth. The whores aren't getting much business with this whole police thing going on, I'll tell you that for nothing." Naruto got a lot of his news via Kiba. The boozers were always in the know, just like the hookers always got the dirt and the druggies always knew when cash was coming. Naruto floated between the groups, dabbling, so he never got much of anything.

"Alright. Take care, Kiba. God bless!" Naruto tipped the peak of an imaginary cap and grinned at his savvy buddy, ruffling Akamaru's fur as he went. He ducked his head as he neared the market, making himself as unremarkable as he possibly could with his blond hair. He saw the wary looks stallholders were giving him and he thought with a sinking feeling that today would be a hard day to get food.

He passed the fishmonger with a flash of a smile and a whistle of awe at his prize catch. He had to make the stallholders feel at ease. Deception. He passed the bubbly lady unloading fruit and vegetables and commented on the quality of the bananas. He stroked fine fabric at the imports stall and helped the elderly man at the sweetshop stall unpack his boxes. That earned him a toffee chew and some trust. Now all he had to do was pass back through and get what he wanted.

With a wave at the sweetshop man he watched the imports guy get into his van and sauntered casually to the stall. The man waved back and turned away to count change. Glancing from side to side, Naruto's hand flashed out and pulled a soft blanket off the tabletop of the imports stall and shoved it into his open bag. He stroked a scarf appreciatively once more, just for show.

He moved back to the fruit stall and pulled out a pouch of coins from his bag and started counting out a few pennies. The woman looked pityingly at him when he asked for one of the 'scrumptious-looking bananas' and put three in a bag for him. Figuring he didn't want to spend his money or want anything from the fishmonger stall, he simply snatched the proffered bag out of the kindly lady's hand and ran.

Her assistants were behind him in seconds. He could hear their feet pounding mere paces behind him as he breezed past people and stalls. The market was busy already and Naruto swore when he realised it was the weekend. The place would be teaming with police.

Naruto veered to the right, in the direction of the red light district. Any clever assistant would know to stay away – the pimps didn't take too kindly to unwanted attention being drawn by 'normal' people. Naruto was safe there, though. He wore his rags like a uniform.

He'd never been so happy to see the roads of pleasure houses and sleazy 'cafés'. His followers had given up streets ago but reaching the inner streets of the red light district was like getting to 'home' in a game of tag. He felt safe. He stood in the middle of the street, panting and clutching his bag of bananas jubilantly.

"Naruto!" A shrill voice brought him out of his happiness and a smile found his face automatically. Sakura, bursting out of an obscene pink dress, was coming towards him. "How are you doing?" Naruto walked the final steps towards her, cupped her face with his two hands and kissed her, ramming his tongue into her mouth. He felt her sigh wearily into the kiss before tonguing him back and pulling one of his hands down the front of her dress. She was a hooker who got down to business. Naruto broke away, but left his hand in her dress, cupping her breast.

"I'm as fine as fuck," he said cheerily. Sakura smiled coyly up at him and took his hand out of her dress to hold it. Naruto grinned down at her. "What's that look?" he asked her.

"How about you pretend to be my customer and we go back to the house? They've done up my suite." Sakura bit her lip teasingly. God, she was a hot little thing. Naruto got hard just imagining her leading him into that room. She pressed her chest to him.

"I can't pay you much," he told her, running his eyes hungrily over her chest. "Will a banana do? No dirty connotations, mind you."

"Aww," she pouted sexily, pink lips swollen from a night of work, "just as I was going to say I want your banana, Naruto." She pulled him towards a nearby pleasure house called Pulse. Last time Naruto was here it was under other management and was called the 'Yamanaka Florists' and the whores all had flower names. It was pretty seedy then, but now there was erotic pink lighting and posters of each hooker in every window. The concierge was in a string bikini with a long overcoat to keep her warm. She ran her hands appreciatively over Naruto as he passed her, earning herself a possessive glare from Sakura. Nice – they really knew how to make him feel wanted.

Naruto was dragged up a flight of stairs, into a spacious top room decorated with cutesy red décor that should have been sickly but looked really hot with Sakura there. She pushed him towards the bed and locked the door, and they ran their eyes over each other eagerly. Sakura didn't even wait for him to undress her – she pulled the dress over her head and exposed the flat plane of her stomach and full breasts. Naruto stepped toward her and pulled her to him, sucking at her pulse point so that she moaned.

She pulled his head down to suck on her breasts almost immediately. Force of habit, Naruto guessed. If customers were going to get what they wanted in their allotted time she had to be quick, didn't she? His tongue circled her nipple lazily and he teased it with his teeth when it grew hard. Sakura ran her hands down his sides and slipped one into his trousers, feeling out his cock and cupping and squeezing the shaft and balls. Naruto sucked harder at the contact.

Sakura removed her hand and pulled down her panties, indicating that Naruto should do the same with his trousers. He was conscious, for a second, about how dirty his rags would look against the plush red carpet of the suite, but soon dismissed the thought in favour of the task at hand. He removed his trousers and grinned wolfishly at Sakura when his cock bounced out of its cloth prison. Sakura rolled her eyes before pushing her arms through his and hooking her hands on his shoulders.

Naruto cupped her ass and maneuvered them over to a wall for support. If they were gonna do it standing up and all, he wasn't about to let balance mess it up. He lifted her up and positioned himself at her opening, lowering her onto it. She cried out as she was impaled and bit down on his shoulder, wrapping her legs around his waist. He was sweating as she began to roll her hips, urging him to push into her hard.

He moved against her, shoving her back against the wall and moving his head to find her lips. They kissed deeply, breaking apart to pant as Naruto's thrusting became stronger and climax grew closer. Naruto could feel her walls tighten around him and he drove into her deeper and more aggressively. She clawed his back with her sharp nails as her orgasm came, making her shudder and roll her hips faster in an attempt to ride it out. Naruto came soon afterwards inside her, throwing back his head and swearing a string of curses raggedly.

She was good because she was fast and fulfilling. Clients probably got two or three goes with her. Four if they came quickly. Naruto pulled out of her and set her on her feet.

"Nice one, Naruto. You don't disappoint." She pushed sweaty bangs off of her forehead and tipped her head back, still catching her breath. Naruto let out a chuckle.

"Shouldn't I be saying that to you? I'm not the hooker." Sakura frowned at him and he thought, perhaps, that he shouldn't have called her a hooker. She was _sort of_ his friend.

"All I meant was that you're a good one to get at the end of the day. It gets old having to fake all the time." This honest admission embarrassed Naruto. He didn't like Sakura much more than as a hooker who treated him well and gave him a free go every now and then. Naruto pulled a tissue out of the box on a cabinet in the corner and cleaned himself up. He put his trousers back on.

Sakura still stood, naked, watching him. "You're not going, are you?" Naruto grinned apologetically.

"I've got to run some errands," he lied, ignoring the guilt that blossomed in his chest when Sakura looked sad.

"Oh… okay," she said, picking up her dress and putting it back on. She sat down on the bed and smiled at him. "Well, bye. I'll see you around, won't I?" Naruto nodded.

"Of course. Bye." He kissed her, pressing his lips hard against hers and stroking her hair. She clutched at his top for a bit when he released her, but let go with a sigh.

"You watch out, okay? There's a family in town looking to hang people like us. Be careful." Naruto hugged her because he felt sorry for her.

"I'll be okay, Sakura. God bless."

Walking out of a pleasure house was quite embarrassing. The whores gave you looks and you knew they were going to discuss you later and compare you to other clients. Naruto wasn't too bothered, though. When they looked at him, he winked. When they whispered, he made a thrusting movement or made a moaning face. That was the way he thought you had to act at a pleasure house. He saw no point in going in there all hyped up about getting laid and then leave blushing. That's what the rich folk who didn't get any at home did.

Out in the street again, Naruto pulled out one of his bananas. This would be his breakfast. He ignored hookers calling out their rates as he munched on the soft yellow fruit and looked around. Where to next? To Orochimaru's turf, to see what he could blag? Or to find a place to crash? He could wile away some hours in the warmth of the pleasure district's many arcades – built as porn for minors who couldn't fake their age to get some.

Yeah, that sounded good.

The noise level in the arcade was near deafening but the heat generated by the machines and large crowds of people _plus_ the central heating was blissful. Naruto unwound his scarf and dumped it in his bag, wandering around and watching people play. Rounding the final corner into the last row of machines, Naruto encountered Gaara. Gaara was a close friend who practically lived in the pleasure district arcades. He had multiple addictions that he kept under control by playing arcade games.

"Yo, Gaara," Naruto clapped his friend on the arm. Gaara twitched and turned black-rimmed eyes to Naruto. He suffered greatly from insomnia, too.

"Hello," Gaara greeted, giving Naruto the once over before returning to his game.

"How are you holding out?" Naruto slid onto one of the plastic stools beside Gaara. Gaara shrugged, eyes darting across the screen of the gaming machine.

"You smell like a brothel."

Naruto wasn't aware that brothels had distinguishing smells. Gaara hung around brothels constantly, though – maybe it was something you learned to smell. Naruto sniffed his shirt and blinked. "What does a brothel smell like? I mean, besides the obvious."

"It smells sweet and of cheap perfume."

"Oh." Naruto watched as Gaara's character pummeled a werewolf. Gaara had tired of Grand Theft Auto, then. Naruto commented this to Gaara.

"GTA isn't satisfying. I want to fight, not kill and steal." Naruto nodded in agreement even though he didn't really understand. He didn't have enough money to become a real gamer like Gaara, nor the interest.

"Have you won any money on the other machines?" Their time together was always a question and answer session. Gaara wasn't a big talker.

"Yeah. Take some." Gaara knew of Naruto's money difficulties. Gaara had a home and a family and a shitload of money – he was a street person only in his pastimes. Naruto rooted around in Gaara's rucksack and found a small bag of coins. He took ten coins, which would buy him dinner.

"I owe you one, really, I do."

"Yeah."

They lapsed into silence. Naruto hadn't felt this unsettled in a long time. He couldn't seem to stay in one place today. He didn't want Sakura for company; Gaara wasn't very entertaining; Kiba would be wasted all day – he didn't really want to be alive at all today. He thanked Gaara again and said goodbye, exiting the arcade. Outside, he wrapped his scarf around his neck again and rubbed his hands together in the biting cold.

It was only nine o'clock. He supposed he could find some paid work to do. In this kind of cold people usually agreed to let the poor run errands for them. They didn't want the street people not doing the job and running off with their money so they let them work on the basis that they did the job first and then got paid. Unfortunately this system worked the same way as paying first – they could refuse to pay, the nasty bastards.

Life was about taking risks, and it wasn't as though he would let any conning pass him by. A brick through a window or taking a dump on their doorstep was good vengeance.

He changed direction and started in the direction of the posh side of the city, where there were huge mansions. There would definitely be somebody who would want him to tend to their garden or wash their windows. Snobby bastards.

Naruto hopped onto the back of a van out on the main road, holding onto the backdoor handles to stay on. The van protected him from the worst of the wind but his fingers were still numb when he jumped off in the rich area. He tipped the peak of his imaginary hat again at an affronted-looking woman who had seen him jump off the back of the van. People around here didn't do that kind of thing – they got taxis or drove cars.

"Good morning, ma'am," he said cheerily, and she turned away from him. For all the schooling they got, the rich still needed lessons in manners.

He knocked at the first house and got no answer. The second and third were the same. The fourth didn't answer either, but Naruto saw somebody peer at him through the curtains. He swore loudly and kicked their door before leaving. A nice maid opened the fifth and told him regretfully that their windows had been cleaned the day before and that there were no job vacancies going.

The sixth house was notably more extravagant than the first five. It had an extra floor and a shiny car parked in the driveway and there was a regal _air_ to it. Naruto felt a strange feeling of awe knocking on the door with a brass knocker and was almost ashamed to bring his filthy self to the door. Except, Naruto didn't _do_ ashamed and 'almost' was the key word. A friendly-looking lady answered the door.

"Good morning, ma'am," Naruto grinned, bowing. "If you'll excuse my appearance, I'm here seeking work, ma'am. I can run errands for you on this cold day, or simply tidy up the exterior of your house and your garden." He spoke with flourish, hoping to impress the lady. She let out a laugh, which Naruto thought was very rude of her.

"I do have some jobs that need doing, sir. What are your rates?"

"I'll let you decide. Well, within reason."

"Very good, sir. Please, come in. I'll need to speak to my husband." She stepped to one side and showed him in, something that surprised Naruto. Nobody in this area had ever shown courtesy to him before. "What's your name?"

"Naruto. Uzumaki Naruto, ma'am."

"I'm Uchiha Mikoto. It's a pleasure to meet you, mister Uzumaki."

"The pleasure is all mine, ma'am. And, please, Naruto's fine." He gave her a wide smile. He was not accustomed to being treated so _equal _to a person of her social status. 'Mister Uzumaki'? That was a first.

He was led into the kitchen, where two well-dressed boys and an older man were seated, eating breakfast. The elder of the two peered at him, running his eyes over his clothes and smirking condescendingly. Naruto felt a rush of loathing for him but suppressed it with a small smile in his direction. The younger boy glowered at him. Jeez, and he thought these people would be different.

"Dear," she ran her hand up her husband's arm, "this is Naruto. He's offering to do odd jobs for whatever price we set for him."

"Whatever price we set you, eh?" he said gruffly to Naruto. "Will you do a half-assed job, boy?" Naruto was surprised to hear somebody who lived in a house like this one say the word 'ass'. He thought only poor people used that kind of language.

"No, sir. I always do the best job I can, sir. In fact, I'll let you decide whether to pay me or not at the end of the day. You can judge my work for yourself, sir." The younger boy was still glowering at him, and he was itching to glare back. The older one was smirking at how he was sucking up to his father.

"What's your name, boy?"

"Uzumaki Naruto, sir."

"Well then, mister Uzumaki, it seems you have found work. I'll hire you for a day. If I like your work, I'll pay you. If I like your work a lot, I'll hire you again. How does that sound?" Naruto couldn't stop the wide smile creeping onto his face.

"It sounds excellent, sir. Thank you very much." The man coughed and nodded his head. Both of the boys were smirking now. Naruto guessed they'd found his happiness amusing. Bastards. They were the ones who would grow up to con him and pour water on him when he was sleeping on the road.

"Naruto, these are my sons, Itachi and Sasuke." Mikoto was introducing him to the two boys. He inclined his head at them.

"It's nice to meet you, Naruto," the older one purred, extending a hand over the table. Naruto shook it quickly. He didn't miss Itachi wiping his hand afterwards on his trousers with a look at Sasuke. Sasuke ignored him completely.

Paid work may be paid work, but he didn't know if he'd be able to work in a house with those arrogant little fucks around. As Mikoto ushered him out of the kitchen to tell him what to do, he saw the younger one flip him the bird. He grit his teeth. _The bastards._

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	2. Window washing and war

**Diamond in the Dirt**

**Warning: Rated M**

Author's notes: I really like Itachi in this chapter. He's pretty clever in his 'practical jokes' in a way that I didn't see coming. He just writes his own parts, that one. I hope you like him as much as I do; he's one of the most popular characters in the Naruto series and I didn't want to ruin him. Thank you Anime Yaoi Lover for beta-ing this chapter.

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**Chapter two**

**Window-washing and war**

Naruto braced himself before plunging his hand into the bucket of freezing water. He felt hurriedly around the bottom of the bucket for the sponge and pulled it out as quickly as he could, gasping and swearing under his breath as the cold air stung his wet hand. That water was freezing! He slopped the soaking sponge onto the window and dragged it over the glass in a circular motion. His fingers were turning purple in front of his eyes.

Through the window – mockingly enough – a fire was lit in a large fireplace. There was nobody in the room for it to heat and it seemed as though it was calling to him. '_Come sit in front of me,'_ it said. The yellow tongues of flame curled like beckoning fingers. Naruto imagined himself enveloped in the flames as he washed the window.

Sasuke, the younger one, walked into the room holding a book. He saw Naruto staring longingly at the fire and smirked, sitting down in front of it. Naruto grit his teeth for the second time that day and ignored the pale boy, staring fixedly at the yellow sponge in his hand. His fingers had turned an interesting shade of violet.

He dropped the sponge back into the bucket and picked up a dry cloth to rub the stains off of the glass. _At least the cloth isn't saturated with icy water and cleaning fluid,_ he tried to comfort himself as he peeked in at the cosy room. Sasuke glanced at him before turning a page, just to see if he was looking. What a bastard.

The house had fourteen windows on each floor and three floors that he could reach. Fourteen times three was forty-two. Naruto had worked this out before starting and was on the last window of the first floor. That left him with twenty-eight more to go. He stepped down from the window and walked into the house, careful not to slosh the dirty bucket-water anywhere.

He walked through to the study, where Uchiha Fugaku said he'd be if Naruto had any questions, and knocked on the door.

"Come in!" Fugaku said sharply from within, and Naruto pushed the door open.

"Please, sir, where can I find a ladder to wash the windows on the second floor?" Fugaku quirked an eyebrow in question.

"Didn't you bring your own, boy?" he asked gruffly.

"No, sir," Naruto said politely. The older man let out an irritated sigh.

"Find one of my boys and ask them to find it for you. I haven't got time for this."

"Yes, sir. Sorry, sir," Naruto said, retreating quickly and closing the door. _Pompous bastard_.

He walked to the room he'd seen Sasuke in and closed his eyes blissfully in the warmth of the fire - it was as warm as it had looked from outside. Sasuke was still hunched over his book. Naruto cleared his throat to get the boy's attention.

"'Scuse me," he started politely, before remembering what a bastard Sasuke was. "You have to get me a ladder." Sasuke turned and narrowed his eyes at Naruto. He smiled broadly back. "Now. Off you go."

"I don't have to do a thing. I suggest you piss off before I tell my father you were acting inappropriately." He looked shocked when Naruto laughed easily. Naruto thought again how education was wasted on the upper class when they were so rude.

"It was your _father_ who told you to fetch me a ladder, kid. Now, hop to it." Sasuke glared at him. Naruto doubted the little prince had ever been treated so disrespectfully in his life, judging by how riled up he was getting. If Naruto had spoken like this to someone on the streets, they wouldn't have taken it quite so personally.

Sasuke stood and drew himself to his full height. He was perhaps an inch taller than Naruto but too thin to be threatening. Naruto was toned through hardship – Sasuke had everything handed to him on a silver platter. "Are you trying to be condescending?"

Naruto sighed wearily. "Listen, mister Uchiha, I don't care much for your fancy language. I don't really understand it. If you could just fetch me a ladder, I'll make the view from your bedroom crystal-clear. Okay?" He reckoned that would knock the wind out of Sasuke's sails. Sasuke blinked once at him.

"Moron," he muttered, but shoved passed Naruto to fetch the ladder. Naruto followed him.

Sasuke gave him a very unsafe-looking wooden ladder. For all of their riches, _this_ was the ladder they owned. Naruto had _slept_ on better ladders than this one. He took it from Sasuke and carried it over to the side of the house, careful not to hit anything. He was tempted to turn suddenly and hit Sasuke in the head, but resisted. Fugaku would probably kill him if he did any damage to his precious offspring.

Naruto propped the ladder up against the wall, shaking it to test its security. It seemed sturdy enough. He only hoped the rotting rungs would be able to hold his weight and the bucket. He grabbed the bucket by the handle and started climbing.

When the ladder teetered to one side, he put all his weight on one foot and glanced down at the ground. Sasuke was watching him. He was hoping Naruto would fall so that he could spit on the blond's corpse or something. What was it about snobs that made them so sadistic and cruel? Determination growing, Naruto passed the bucket over to his other side to balance the ladder out and continued climbing.

He set the bucket on the next rung up once he reached the first window and anchored it there with his knees. God, it was quite the juggling act on that rickety old ladder. He gripped the ladder firmly with one hand as he plunged his hand into the water again to grab the sponge. He'd never been scared of heights before, but this was something else. He was terrified he'd fall back and split his head on the patio below.

And Sasuke was _still_ there, watching him.

Naruto tired to ignore him again, focusing on the window in front of him. A wave of icy panic crashed inside him. He was looking into Itachi's room, with the elder of the two Uchiha boys smirking at him. He jumped in shock and the ladder wobbled alarmingly. Naruto was soon clinging to the wood like a cat with its claws out.

Itachi opened the window beside Naruto's head.

"I hope you're not going to take too long," Itachi drawled. "I was about to jerk off." _Charming, _Naruto balked and Itachi smirked wickedly. "Or perhaps you'd like to come in and do it for me. I can pay you." The streets hadn't prepared Naruto for this. He'd never met a rich person so vulgar, and he'd had _many_ a strange encounter with the upper class.

"I'm sorry," Naruto replied regretfully, "your father's already requested my 'services' and I'm afraid he doesn't want to share." Perhaps that wasn't the wisest thing to say when balancing various metres above the ground on an old wooden ladder, Naruto thought as Itachi narrowed his eyes dangerously. Jeez, the Uchiha men had frightening frowns.

Itachi reached an arm out towards him and Naruto cowered. He was going to die by the hands of a rich man. Oh, couldn't his demise be _anything_ else? Itachi simply took the bucket of water from between his legs and poured it over his head.

"Fuck!" Naruto yelled, resisting the urge to lean over and pummel Itachi for fear that he'd fall. He heard Sasuke laughing from down below. "Shit!" He started shivering violently in the freezing cold.

"Are you sure you don't want to come in and warm up?" Itachi offered with a predatory smile on his face. Naruto glared at him.

"You've hardly won me over by dunking water over my head, bastard," Naruto spat, his teeth chattering.

"No?" Itachi questioned expressionlessly. "I thought you'd appreciate a bath." Naruto bit back a retort and started climbing back down the ladder – not an easy feat when one was holding a cumbersome bucket and shivering so hard their bones rattled. Halfway down a rung snapped under his foot and he hurt his hand saving himself and bumped his hip painfully. Sasuke and Itachi both laughed cruelly at his pain.

He'd never been so glad to feel solid ground beneath his feet when he finally reached the bottom. Sasuke and Itachi were still watching him as he crossed the patio to refill the bucket and wring his soaked scarf. It had been rendered pretty much useless now, but he didn't feel like parting with it so he kept it on. He walked back to the ladder and climbed up again.

"Could you close your window, please? I need to wash it," he said to Itachi plainly when he reached the top again. Itachi looked slightly taken aback.

"Gladly, sir," he replied mockingly, closing the window.

In his room, Itachi walked to his shelf, pulled out a porno magazine and settled down on his bed. Naruto hoped – rather hopelessly – that Itachi was not going to do what he thought he was going to do. Opening the magazine on a certain page, Itachi slipped a hand into his trousers. He turned to make sure Naruto was watching and chuckled at the horrified expression on his face.

Naruto tried not to watch as Itachi started palming his cock and resumed washing the windows as quickly as he could. His brain urged him to go to another window, but the stubborn part of him didn't want the Uchihas to win. He endured the sight of Itachi pumping at himself in his peripheral vision until both bedroom windows were clean. _Then_ he climbed down.

Sasuke smirked knowingly at him from the bottom of the ladder. "Did you enjoy the show?" he asked.

"What show?" Naruto asked, feigning confusion. Sasuke's smirk fell from his face and Naruto was glad. He'd never complain about being poor ever again: he might not be educated and he might use whores and dabble with drugs every now and again but he was, overall, a good person. These people had a good home and a good education and they were _vile_.

Naruto moved the ladder over and aligned it with the next window. He could only hope that he'd have no more unpleasant experiences with the Uchihas. Perhaps it was Mikoto's turn to torment him – maybe she'd be whipping a maid and threatening to do the same to Naruto if she didn't see those windows spotless or something…

Thankfully, the next window was safe. He'd almost fainted when he'd seen Mikoto, but she'd been_ sans_ whip and only waved at him and mouthed that she'd liked the job he'd done with the downstairs windows. She'd even opened the window to tell him that she'd give him lunch later. For some reason she didn't ask him why he was dripping wet - she probably knew that her son was the culprit. Sasuke had scuttled away like a cockroach when his mother had opened the window and Naruto's spirits were lifted.

He managed to get nine more windows done on the second floor before his stomach started protesting violently. He took the next of his bananas out of his bag and polished it off in mere seconds. He couldn't go inside to eat yet because he was still dripping and didn't think that Fugaku would take too kindly to him dripping dirty water all over their floor. So to ward off his hunger for a little longer he ate the third and final banana.

He had three more windows to do before he'd completed the second floor. He surveyed them tiredly and aligned the ladder beneath them. His arms protested at the thought of cleaning three more but he reminded himself that, with those clean, he could stop and have a break. At least he had something to do, he thought optimistically, remembering his state of boredom that morning.

He'd mastered the ladder, too. He'd grown comfortable with the wobbling now and was confident when climbing. The last three windows were a breeze with the energy he'd gained from the bananas. He polished the last window until it gleamed before climbing back down, whistling placidly.

Mikoto was waiting for him at the door.

"Would you like to come in and eat now, Naruto?" She asked kindly. "We had chicken. Do you eat chicken?" Naruto liked chicken – he hadn't eaten it for ages, at five-hundred ryo a leg.

"That sounds really nice, ma'am." He followed her into the house, mindful to wipe to wipe his feet at the door. He was glad that this wasn't a house where one had to take off their shoes at the front. His feet weren't the cleanest.

Mikoto handed him a plate of chicken and white rice, apologising that it was a very simple meal because the boys had polished off the accompaniments. Naruto sat down at the table and tried to dig in: Mikoto had given him chopsticks to eat with and he was struggling. He hardly ever ate with anything but his hands and he'd never even been taught to use cutlery. He got the gist of it, though, and although most of the rice ended up on the table he felt full when he finished.

"Thank you very much, ma'am. That was delicious." He couldn't remember the last time he'd eaten a hot meal.

"You're very welcome," she replied, taking the plate from him and setting it in the sink. Naruto sat awkwardly at the kitchen table as she washed up for him, unsure as to whether he should simply leave and resume work or stay a while longer to talk to her. Sasuke walked into the kitchen as he idled and went to the fridge.

Naruto was in awe at the amount of food they kept. He'd assumed that the food he'd eaten was the only food in the house, as was the case with him on the street. Mikoto caught him boggling at the fridge and told Sasuke to fetch him a drink.

"What would you like, Naruto? A glass of milk? Juice?"

"I'd like some milk, please," Naruto asked. He wasn't one to pass up a chance to dine like royalty. No sir.

"Sasuke, dear, could you get Naruto a glass of milk?" Sasuke was very much the mummy's boy around Mikoto. He was as docile as a Labrador compared to the malicious little bastard he'd been earlier. He set a glass in front of Naruto and filled it high with milk. Naruto did not miss the scowl on his face.

"Thank you, mister Uchiha," Naruto smiled. Sasuke smirked back and sat opposite Naruto, elbows resting on the table with his chin on his hand.

Feeling only slightly intimidated by the piercing stare Sasuke was giving him, Naruto took a slug of milk, only to spit it back into his glass and splutter. Mikoto swung around to stare at him sharply as he coughed. He didn't look any more attractive with milk dribbling down his chin.

"Oh dear," Sasuke said monotonously. "It seems I gave him sour milk." Mikoto's face twisted with concern as she filled a glass with water at the sink and handed it to him, apologising profusely.

"Sasuke, why didn't you check the expiration date? Fetch him some juice, quickly." With a victorious smirk at Naruto, Sasuke stood up and went back to the fridge to get him his juice. Naruto took back the docile part – he was still a malicious _bastard_.

Naruto downed the juice in record time and hurried out of the kitchen. He'd go mad if he stayed with those brothers any longer without being able to exact his revenge. He was determined to do his best work so that Fugaku would hire him again. He'd come back armed next time.

As he cleaned the third floor windows he came up with a plan for the next time he worked for the Uchihas. He'd get Itachi back first – no one jerked off in front of him like that and got away with it. I mean, sure, he might not get much privacy on the streets for that kind of thing but he'd do it discreetly, under a blanket or something. Not in the middle of a busy street or anything. That was vulgar.

Secondly, he'd wind up that Sasuke brat and show him some _real _torture, not the rehashed versions of what Itachi had done in the past. He was so unoriginal.

Thirdly, he'd do something cruel to the two brothers, just for shits. I mean, revenge was great but doing that little bit extra was just the icing on top of the cake.

He finished up the last window with a content sigh and climbed back down the ladder for the last time to go and report his completion of the work set to Fugaku. The older man approved his work and announced, to Naruto's immense joy, that he wanted him back tomorrow to make the back garden look presentable.

"However," he continued, "I want you looking presentable. I'm going to pay you for your work today and give you a little extra to buy yourself some finer working clothes. I can't be seen with a ruffian like you working on my premises. You'll work off that money, mind. I won't be paying for every one of your little trinkets." Naruto nodded and thanked him.

"I could work it off today, if you want, sir. I'm up for any work you give me." He was angling for a job indoors so he could start to get his revenge. He just needed to map the house out in his mind.

"Very well. Can you read, boy?" Yes, Naruto could read. The hermit who'd looked after him as a boy had taught him to read so that he could review his many perverted 'novels' – the ones he sold to brothels to get some spare change.

"I'm a very good reader, sir," Naruto told him.

"Good. You can organize the library books into alphabetical order." Jeez, paid work was paid work but could the man have given him anything more tedious? He wouldn't even be able to move from room to room.

Fugaku took him to the library on the second floor, and once again, Naruto was in awe at the grandeur of the house. The library had nine shelves lining the walls as high as the ceiling. Naruto whistled in amazement and Fugaku looked pleased with himself.

"You like books, Naruto? I have all of the classics." Naruto guessed that he was supposed to be in awe of that too. He'd only whistled because of the number of books, not the actual books themselves. He wasn't that big a reader.

"You have an amazing collection, sir," he said thinking it would be appropriate. Fugaku seemed appeased. "Could I use your bathroom?"

"Yes, of course," Fugaku replied, and pointed him down the hallway. Naruto made his way down to the bathroom, making sure to map it out in his mind. He would use the bathroom as his excuse to explore later.

By the time he got back to the library, Fugaku had gone. He started sorting the books on the first shelf and found to his relief that someone had, not too long ago, ordered the books. There only a few books out of their designated spaces. So, he paused his ordering and slunk out of the library to explore the second floor.

He knew from his window-cleaning more-or-less which rooms were which. From the stairs there was Itachi's room on his right, a bathroom on his left. After Itachi's room came a study, with a spare bedroom opposite. At the far end was a spacious lounge. Okay, so there were five rooms on the second floor.

He climbed the second staircase to the third floor and found its layout to be the same as the second floor. The room at the end was split in two – a bedroom for Sasuke with an en suite bathroom. The other rooms were spares and bathrooms.

The top floor was the nicest, built up into the roof. It was a final bathroom, but this one had a hot tub and a fancy armoire. Naruto supposed it was some kind of boudoir for Fugaku and Mikoto. _That_ was kinky. Naruto guessed it made Sasuke very uncomfortable to have _this_ above his room. It gave him a good idea for vengeance.

He crept back downstairs to the third floor. He held his breath when Sasuke, coming up the third flight of stairs, caught him.

"What are you doing?" _Shit_, Naruto cursed internally. He grasped desperately for an excuse.

"I was checking the piping in the upstairs bathroom. You father wants me to take a look at it tomorrow." Sasuke eyed him suspiciously and Naruto hoped he didn't look guilty. He stepped aside for Naruto to pass.

"Where are you going?" Sasuke asked him. Jeez, he was a suspicious little creature.

"To put the books in the library into alphabetical order. Do I need your permission to do that?" Sasuke narrowed his eyes into furious slits at Naruto. Naruto scowled back. Sasuke was really getting to him – even more than Itachi disgusted him. He lacked _something_ that Itachi had but aspired to be as vile as him, which left him looking crawly and pathetic.

He walked down the stairs steadily, keeping an eye out for Itachi. He was sure that the older Uchiha was sharper than Sasuke and would see through his plumbing excuse. He knew nothing about pipes and water and would fail miserable trying to bluff his way out. Thankfully, he made it downstairs without another encounter.

He planned out exactly what he was going to do in revenge as he sorted the books. After a quick trip to the red light district and a quick chat with Jiraiya, he'd be able to do some damage. This war was in the bag.

* * *


	3. Plans, porn and perverts

**Diamond in the Dirt**

**Warning: Rated M**

* * *

**Chapter three**

**Plans, porn and perverts**

Haku used to be a very popular male hooker. Why? Because he looked so feminine he let closet homosexuals continue to lie to themselves and get the satisfaction they craved. He'd become very rich very quickly and when he finally found somebody he wanted to spend the rest of his life with, he quit whoring himself out and they set up a male brothel together. It was no typical love story but nobody denied that Haku and Zabuza were crazy about each other, and _happy_.

Naruto had been good friends with Haku from about seven years of age. Haku was five years older than him, and had started his career in prostitution at thirteen so Naruto had been there when Haku's virginity had been sold. He'd still been under Jiraiya's wing at that time and remembered Haku coming to him in Jiraiya's lodgings and wrapping his arms tightly around him, sobbing.

Haku had been in prostitution for six years before he met Zabuza and stopped. He'd built up quite the reputation over that time, which is why his business boomed. Despite the separate paths he and Naruto had taken to survive on the streets, they'd remained good friends. They had too much in common to let that come between them.

"So, Haku, I need the most hardcore gay pornography magazine you have in your possession. The glossiest, most jerked off over, gay pornography magazine you own. Could you do that for me?" They were drinking sake in the top room of Haku and Zabuza's brothel with the sounds from below coming up through the floorboards. It was peaceful, and Naruto's mind was growing hazy at the edges with the alcohol.

"Have you changed your mind about your sexuality, Naruto?" Haku asked. His cheeks were spotted pink with the alcohol and he had his legs swung over Zabuza's. Naruto had spotted Zabuza's hands running over Haku's stomach multiple times. It wasn't something that tickled his fancy.

"No," Naruto replied, "I'm getting revenge. Have you heard of the Uchiha family? Tell me you've heard of the Uchiha family."

"I've heard of the Uchiha family," Haku laughed softly.

"The bastards – they're corrupt," Zabuza spat out, baring pointed teeth. Naruto waved a hand at him, indicating he should quiet down and listen to his story.

"The older one, Itachi," Zabuza made a disgusted noise in the back of his throat and Haku leaned towards Naruto keenly for information. "I was washing his windows – it was my job for the day – and that bastard pulls out this porno mag and starts jerking off! Can you believe it? He asked me to do it for him and all."

Haku laughed and covered him mouth. "I shouldn't laugh," he said apologetically. Naruto glared at him.

"Then _don't_," he replied sourly. "It wasn't funny. So, after he asked me to do it for him, I told him I was doing it for his father and he didn't like sharing." Zabuza let out a barking laugh at this and threw down more sake.

"Excellent, Naruto!"

"I'm not so sure. When I said that, he grabs the bucket of water and dunks it over my head. _That's_ not fun." He paused for thought. "The little one is pretty creepy. He just lurks and plays childish little pranks."

"Maybe he has a crush on you, Naruto." Haku teased. "How old is the little one?"

"I don't know. Sixteen, seventeen, I guess." Haku and Zabuza laughed loudly. Naruto poured himself some more sake sulkily. "What?"

"You're seventeen, Naruto. Even if you don't want to admit it, you can't be condescending to somebody if they're your own age." Naruto frowned in incomprehension at the word 'condescending'. He had the idea of what it meant now but he still lacked a real definition.

"You know, he called me that today - condescending. But stop changing the subject – do you have the magazine or not?" Haku laughed again and disentangled himself from Zabuza.

"I do. I think I've got a good one in mind."

Haku took Naruto down into the basement to where the brothel's merchandise and equipment was kept. Naruto balked at dildos and butt plugs, asking Haku if he'd ever used any of those before. Haku hadn't answered, but Naruto thought his silence spoke volumes.

He was shown the pornography section and was given a box of the most hardcore magazines around. They included blowjobs, group sex, use of toys and even bestiality. Naruto ran his eyes over in horrified fascination at penises as thick as his arm, men impaling themselves on painfully large dildos, men in the throws of euphoria as they pounded into each other, men sucking each other off.

Haku peered at the pictures over his shoulders with a smile on his face. "Doesn't that turn you gay?" Naruto snorted.

"Hardly. The male body is not attractive. I can love _my_ penis because it's large, not somebody else's." He closed the magazine and asked if he could take it.

"It's on the house. I don't think it'll be missed _too_ badly. _I'll _be sad to see it go. If it wasn't for Zabuza, I don't think I'd let it go." Naruto made gagging noises.

"Gross." Naruto was struck by a sudden thought. "Hey, do you have a Dictaphone and tapes? You know, for recording stuff." Haku nodded slowly, his grin widening with thoughts of a dirty revenge. "Can I have those, too?"

* * *

Jiraiya had been given a home in Tsunade's brothel for as long as he kept publishing his erotic novels. He had taught Naruto all he needed to know to survive on the streets and had given him that competitive streak that kept him going. He swaggered into the room escorted by whores and Jiraiya had clapped him on the back and congratulated.

"That's m'boy," he laughed deeply, ruffling Naruto's hair in a fatherly way. "What do you want, then? I know you don't visit me without a motive anymore."

Naruto ruffled his hair sheepishly. "You know I mean to visit you. It just works out all wrong." Jiraiya waved his apology aside.

"Don't worry about it, Naruto. Now, tell me what you've done now." He sat down on his bed and Naruto sat on the floor a few metres away from him.

"You've heard of the Uchiha family?" Jiraiya started to shake his head and then frowned and asked him,

"Fugaku?" Naruto nodded. "Yeah, Orochimaru's had some dealings with him in the past." Naruto was surprised. Orochimaru was lord of the drug faction. It was curious that someone high up in social status would dwell with low-lives like Orochimaru, with whom Naruto had the odd encounter with.

"Well, I'm working for them now. They've got two sons – Itachi and Sasuke. I'm exacting my revenge."

"Oh?" Jiraiya raised an eyebrow curiously. This had to be good, especially if he was visiting to tell him about it. "What have they done, exactly?" Jiraiya pushed his long white over his shoulder and set his elbow on his knee and chin on his hand to survey Naruto.

"Itachi only went and tossed himself off in front of me. I've got to get him back, so I'm replacing his tits and ass magazine for cocks and balls. I want to see him jerk off to that. Sasuke's just an asswipe – I need to piss him off. I'm thinking of sticking your novels into his books and leaving one in his father's study. I want hardcore stuff – gay, preferably. They're quite old-fashioned so that would really stir them up." Jiraiya stroked an imaginary beard.

"Oh yeah? He's a cocky young thing, isn't he? Pun intended." Jiraiya wheezed out a laugh.

"Yeah. Can I have the novels, then?" Naruto gave Jiraiya the puppy eyes the kid had used on him that morning. Except that Jiraiya was a lot tougher than he was. He gave him a stern look.

"That look doesn't work on me, you know. I'll give you some novels to leave around the house. Hopefully they'll like them enough to buy them on a regular basis. I'll write the shop address in the covers - there's no harm in advertising." Naruto shrugged.

"Do whatever, unless you don't want them arresting you. They'll send the police to the shop - Sakura said they were looking to hang us lot, the rich ones. I don't know if she meant it literally or not." Jiraiya smirked at the mention of Sakura and looked lecherous.

"You're still seeing young Sakura, then? Tsunade told me she taught her every trick she knows, and Tsunade knows these-" Naruto cut him off, embarrassed. He didn't want Jiraiya's perverted mind coming up with a new novel idea based on him and Sakura. It'd be something ultra-cheesy, like: hobo meets busty prostitute and rapes her in an alley. And she'd enjoy it – that's what made it cheesy.

"I don't want to know what the old hag does. Yes, I am still seeing Sakura, but it's none of your business. Pervert." Jiraiya pouted childishly, but reached over to open the drawer on his beside table and sifted through the novels inside. He threw Naruto a couple.

"You keep these in your bedside table?" Naruto asked, flicking through the pages. It was shouta, child pornography. Jiraiya shrugged - a shift of the shoulder bones.

"I was _evaluating_ them. Apparently they're not so popular."

"No shit," Naruto drawled, putting the book in his bag. "It's enough to give Fugaku a shock, though. Imagine Sasuke reading shouta – that's sick. You're a perverted genius, old man."

Naruto rested his head on his crossed arms. The sake from earlier was making him drowsy. He'd need another tot to keep him awake long enough to find a spot to sleep in. Jiraiya was watching him with an experienced eye before pulling a mini-bottle of sake out of his drawer. Naruto recognized it as the same brand that Kiba drank when he got his booze off of Tsunade.

"Thanks," Naruto yawned, floppily accepting the glass Jiraiya was holding out to him.

"Don't worry about it, kid, you've had a long day. Do you know where you're sleeping tonight?" Naruto took a sip of the sake and shook his head slowly.

"I haven't really though about it. I guess I'll just find a crate somewhere, or maybe I'll call in some favours with the hookers. Sorry - the prostitutes." Jiraiya didn't approve of the more disrespectful names for the women who sold sex. They were valuable to him, and as his faux-son, Naruto had to respect them too.

"You can sleep on the floor here. Don't make it a habit though. You need to toughen up, you wimp." Naruto's lips curled into a sleepy smile and he down the final dregs of alcohol from his glass. Jiraiya took the cup from him and put it away, tossing him a blanket and a pillow. Naruto took them gratefully and made up a bed in the corner of the room.

He was so tired he curled up and fell asleep almost immediately. His soft snores permeated the room minutes later as he fell deeper into his slumber and Jiraiya smiled at the boy. He was proud of him – he'd grown from the whimpering, clingy little kid into a streetwise guru. Jiraiya climbed into his own bed and snapped off the lamp, settling down to sleep himself.

The laughing and clinks of glasses below with the occasional throaty moan from downstairs grew louder later into the night, but the two men didn't stir.

* * *

Sasuke answered the door when somebody knocked at a quarter to midnight. His father often had late-night business meetings with prestigious managers and CEOs of important companies. Sasuke quirked an eyebrow questioningly at the long-haired man at his door – he'd never seen his father meeting with a man dressed in a ridiculous deep purple trench coat before. The man gave him a creepily wide smile that twisted upwards at the corners sinisterly.

"Sasuke," the man said smoothly, rolling Sasuke's name over his tongue appreciatively so that Sasuke flinched. The visitor extended a long-fingered hand. Sasuke hesitated before shaking the hand, briefly. "Is your father home? Tell him it's an old friend." Sasuke repressed a glare when the man ran his eyes over him.

Sasuke invited him in to stand at the doorway while he went to find his father. He found Fugaku in his study, absorbed in a book with a deep frown on his face.

"Father?" Sasuke said flatly to attract his attention. Fugaku looked up and stared piercingly at him. The lines on his face appeared deeper today; he was stressed. "An old friend of yours wants to see you. He's at the door." His father inhaled sharply before heaving himself to his feet.

"Go to your room, Sasuke, and tell your mother and Itachi to stay there until I say so. It's very important that you do not disturb us."

He watched the stranger as he made his way up the stairs. He still wore that disturbing smile on his face, his black hair falling poker-straight and long around his white face. His eyes were a strange shade of green and were rimmed with a bruise-coloured purple that Sasuke could not distinguish as make-up or genuine bruising.

He tore his eyes away and found Itachi to tell him that downstairs was off-limits. Itachi had shrugged, showing no interest in the goings on downstairs. His mother had been worried, as she always was when Fugaku held these late-night discussions. Money was so hard to come by and so easy to lose. They could lose everything in under an hour.

Sasuke drifted over to the staircase and sat on the top step, hoping to hear something from down below. He'd never been told he couldn't listen in before and quite frankly, never been interested. Except, being told he couldn't this one time spiked his curiosity. That, and the visitor's strange calling hour and even stranger attire.

His father's study door was closed, which was a first. His father was rather – conceited – and liked his sons to hear how important his meetings were. All he could here was muffled voices and the occasional sound of drinks being poured. He almost went to eavesdrop at the door when he heard a gruff-sounding splutter that could only belong to his father.

He narrowed his eyes suspiciously and glanced behind him before sliding down a couple of steps so that he could peer through the wooden panels of the banister. He couldn't see or hear anything still – the study was almost sound-proof unless he pressed his ear right up to the door. He wasn't _that_ curious.

He put a hand up on the banister and hauled himself to his feet, climbing back up the stairs going into Itachi's room.

"Who do you think it is?" He asked casually. Itachi was lying on bed stomach-down. His face was in his pillow.

"Does it matter?" He asked irritably, lifting his head a fraction so his nose just touched the pillow before settling back down.

"No." Sasuke replied sourly. He hated it when his brother brushed him off. After a few seconds silence, Itachi lifted his head again.

"Don't worry your pretty head about it, little brother. Father always knows who and what he's dealing with." Sasuke frowned, uncomprehending, but didn't question. Itachi always treated him like a fool and he knew better to rise to any bait however cleverly disguised. Itachi settled down once more.

Sasuke looked around the room semi-awkwardly in the following silence. On the window-ledge beside the bed there was a light dusting of what looked like icing sugar. Sasuke pressed his finger to it idly, spreading it. He hoped for Itachi's sake that his father didn't see it – they weren't allowed to eat upstairs. He looked at the sugar that stuck to his finger before rubbing his finger and thumb to remove it. Some of it fell onto his black pants and he brushed it off.

Itachi shifted beside him and turned over. Sasuke glanced at him automatically when he felt the bed moved and found that he'd fallen asleep. Itachi looked calculating even at him most vulnerable. Sasuke ran his eyes over his brother's face trying to pinpoint exactly what it was that made his brother the figure of spite that he was.

It wasn't the permanent bags beneath his eyes that he'd inherited from their father, nor his tapered eyes. It was his mouth, in that perpetual state of smirking or cold indifference. It didn't relax even in sleep. Sasuke resisted the urge to touch his face to see if it was simply frozen that way.

Downstairs the study door opened and Sasuke stood up and crept to the stairs quickly to listen in. He couldn't see his father or the stranger, but he could hear their low voices perfectly clear.

"Tomorrow." His father confirmed.

"That's what we agreed," the stranger replied pleasantly. There was a pause and a sound of what Sasuke guessed was the visitor putting on his coat. "Goodnight, mister Uchiha." The front door opened and closed.

Sasuke was disappointed. It was just another manager or CEO or employer coming for a meeting. He was probably foreign, judging by the time he'd arrived. With a roll of his eyes he turned to go to his room.

"Sasuke." Sasuke froze mid-step and turned to look at his father. He had his hand on the banister and his foot on the first step. He'd been caught eaves-dropping.

"I was going to get a drink. Then I remembered that you told us not to go downstairs," Sasuke tried. He forced his voice to sound cool and innocent.

"How much did you hear?" His father asked tersely. _Oh? _Sasuke's curiosity spiked again.

"Nothing. I heard the door close." His father narrowed his eyes slightly, the way all Uchiha men did when they were suspicious. Sasuke stared blankly back.

Fugaku climbed the stairs and placed a hand on Sasuke's shoulder. "Goodnight son."

* * *


	4. Jobs, junkies and justice

**Diamond in the Dirt**

**Warning: Rated M for rape. Don't like, don't read.

* * *

**

**Chapter 4**

**Jobs, junkies and justice**

Naruto may have been accepting all work but he did feel slightly ridiculous doing the cleaning. He was no maid. However, sexism aside, it was the best job he could have been given: he had access to all rooms and could sift through possessions at will.

Up in Itachi's room he'd located the pornography and replaced it with Haku's magazine. He couldn't resist another horrified flick through it, stopping and staring at the more shocking pictures. He froze when he heard a creak on the stares, terrified he'd be spotted looking at gay porn. His fight-or-flight mechanism kicked in and he shoved the gay magazine where Itachi's straight pornography had been and put Itachi's magazine into his bag. He picked up the feather duster he'd been provided with and started dusting the shelf innocently.

"Get out of my room." Itachi commanded. Naruto stopped dusting and offered him a helpless smile.

"I can't. I'm sorry." He resumed his dusting. Itachi came up behind him so closely that Naruto could almost feel him. Itachi's breath tickled the shell of his left ear as he leaned up close.

"You're not sorry. But you will be," Itachi whispered. Naruto's skin tingled at the uncomfortable tickling and he resisted the urge to wriggle. He hated having people behind him - it made him feel vulnerable. Besides, once somebody was behind you on the street you didn't usually live to see the next _minute_. Naruto had to remind himself that this was _Itachi,_ a rich kid.

"I will, will I?" Naruto asked, humouring him. He forced himself to start dusting again. Itachi still hadn't moved away. Arms encircled him, restricting his movement and intrusive hands played with the hem of his shirt. He stiffened, heart speeding up painfully fast. "What are you doing?"

Itachi's hand slid under his shirt and his fingers ghosted over Naruto's flat stomach. Naruto's skin crawled.

"Get _off_ me." He growled firmly. Itachi rested his chin on Naruto's shoulder so that Naruto could see him smirk.

Antagonised far beyond the limit of his patience, Naruto dropped his shoulder and raised it quickly, slamming Itachi in the chin with hard bone so that he backed off. Itachi clutched at his throbbing chin and glared furiously at Naruto. Naruto faced him defensively, eyes narrowed just as furiously. Itachi let himself relax.

"Make sure my room is spick and span, okay?" Itachi flashed a sarcastic grin at him before leaving. Somehow, it did not feel like a victory to Naruto.

Naruto cleaned Itachi's room as he'd been told to moodily - Itachi had the upper hand because he was practically his boss. It was so unfair. Compared to the stunt Itachi had just pulled his magazine replacement paled, too. He needed something better. He looked around the room for inspiration and his eyes found Itachi's beside table drawer. Naruto pulled it open in the hope of finding something fun to mess with. He found lubricant.

He found himself smiling as he thought of hot sauce, athlete's foot cream and various other 'ingredients' that he could add. The only fly in the landscape was the he didn't have any of those things on him – he could _hardly_ go through the _Uchihas'_ kitchen to exact his revenge. He replaced the lubricant and looked for something else to meddle with.

Right at the back of the drawer was a small clear plastic bag half-full of white powder. Naruto pulled it out to inspect it. Not that he had much experience in that area, but it looked an awful lot like cocaine. Why did Itachi have cocaine? Naruto didn't think that rich people did drugs.

Whatever - it made for good blackmail material. He pocketed the bag and went to the next room to clean, preoccupied with the thought of Itachi being involved with the junkies he knew.

He cleaned the next rooms on autopilot until he got to Sasuke's room and remembered that he was supposed to be replacing all of his novels with Jiraiya's erotica. He couldn't believe his luck when he found a book set out on Sasuke's bed with a page marked. It was too perfect. He imagined Sasuke's shock when he would open his book and find himself staring at child pornography. Naruto had already replaced a few of the books on Fugaku's desk with the shouta books, making sure that at least one of them was Sasuke's.

Stage two of his revenge was complete. Now he just need to leave the Dictaphone recording upstairs in the sexual bathroom until he had a sexual recording to leave out for the Uchiha siblings to listen to one day. That was his favourite plan.

He finished tidying the third floor before running gleefully up the stairs to the bathroom. He looked around for a place to hide the machine whilst scrubbing the occasional surface. In the end he had to tuck it out of sight in the armoire. He'd been delighted to find a pair of cat ears when he'd nosed through– would you believe it? – costumes. Who would have thought that people that weren't hookers cosplayed?

Naruto put the cat ears onto his head and peered at himself in the mirror. "_Me-ow_ Sexy. I wonder if Sakura has some of these." He straightened the ears out and chuckled at himself. Hilarious, absolutely hilarious.

He heard a creek on the landing on the third floor and hastily shoved them away. He shouldn't loiter too long lest the Lord and Lady Uchiha get embarrassed that their man-maid knew all of their kinky little secrets. Naruto snorted with laughter as he pushed closed the doors of the armoire with a gentle thud. He walked back down the stairs.

"That's the second time I've caught you snooping up there, Naruto," Sasuke said icily, standing in the doorway of his room. Naruto almost jumped out of his skin at the sound of his voice.

"What are _you_ doing slinking around your own home like a criminal?" Naruto grouched. "Jeez, you almost scared me to death."

"'Almost', unfortunately," Sasuke responded sarcastically. "Do my parents know you're up there everyday?"

"Like it or not, Sasuke, it's my _job_ to be up there everyday. Perhaps you get off on the thought of me secretly playing around in your parents' love-room but the truth isn't quite so hot." Naruto exhaled tiredly and ruffled his hair. Sasuke glared at him, his cheeks turning pink. A broad grin spread over Naruto's face. "So you have more than skeletons in the closet, eh, Sasuke?"

"I don't care to know what you're implying," Sasuke replied stiffly, "but if I keep finding you acting suspiciously, my father will have you hung. I make no idle threats to those I dislike." Naruto raised his eyebrows, humouring him.

"Right, right, I'll behave." Naruto mimed throttling himself comically and gave Sasuke a mocking salute before heading downstairs to put away the cleaning supplies. He could feel Sasuke's death-glare burning a hole in his back. _Woo, scary_.

As he was putting away the vacuum cleaner, Mikoto came up behind him with a kindly smile on her face. Naruto felt bad about nosing through her things, but that didn't stop him from biting his cheek to stop the cat-ear laughter from erupting. She came to ask him a favour.

"Naruto, are you coming back tomorrow?" She sounded almost anxious, as though she had something very important for him to do. He offered her his most charming smile - doubled in size by the urge to laugh raucously. She looked so gentle and motherly; it was near impossible to imagine her as a sexual being.

"Of course, missus Uchiha," he replied cheerily. "I'll be back every day this week, 'cept for Sunday." He was aiming to sound like a street brat in the hope that he'd sound more endearing to her. _She_ was on his side, unlike her awful sons.

"Oh, thank goodness! Would you mind dreadfully taking Sasuke into town? You probably know the marketplace better than I do and he needs to buy some things for his return to school that we couldn't order from the catalogue. We'll pay you extra for it, of course, dear." Eurgh, Naruto could think of anything he minded _more_ dreadfully than taking Sasuke into town. He slapped on another wide grin all the same.

"I wouldn't mind at all. What time would you like us to go?" Mikoto breathed a sigh of the utmost relief and Naruto couldn't say he was surprised. The marketplace was a pickpocket's heaven and a woman like Mikoto with a boy like Sasuke would attract them like bees to nectar.

"Thank you ever so much, dear. I'll leave you to choose a time that's convenient for you seeing as you'll have other work to do tomorrow. Not too late though – Sasuke has a piano lesson at four-thirty." Naruto almost scoffed. What a ponce. Fancy anybody playing a piano! He'd wondered who that baby grand belonged to.

With this knowledge tomorrow did seem so bad. He'd be able to taunt him all the way to the market and all the way back. If he had any money to bet, Naruto would have bet that Sasuke would be scared witless of the 'evil' of the market place. They ordered by catalogue after all; they must be avoiding something.

"Not a problem, ma'am. It's my pleasure."

* * *

Fugaku opened his desk drawer and with a gusty exhalation he pulled out the bag Orochimaru had left with him the night before. He _wasn't_ a crook – he had priorities that others wouldn't understand. He could mix it with their dinner tonight so that Mikoto wouldn't intervene. It'd knock him out cold too, but he didn't really have any other plans to choose from.

Orochimaru promised that nobody would get seriously hurt if he did what he told him to. He'd given Fugaku the option to make him look like the villain and protect himself. Nobody need ever know he was in on it. If the police found drugs in each of the family members' blood, surely they wouldn't find the whole family guilty of drug abuse?

Fugaku mopped his brow with a kerchief. It was not a guilty conscience: he was doing this for the whole family. Tucking the bag away into his trouser pocket he stood and left the study, walking to the kitchen where Mikoto was cooking dinner.

"Dinner won't be ready for another half-hour, dear," his wife told him, smiling. He forced himself to smile back, although it felt to him more like a grimace. Mikoto didn't notice a thing.

Fugaku tried to ignore the quick pounding of his heart as he wound himself up more and more with the gravity of what he was doing. He waited until Mikoto went into the pantry to fetch some ingredient or other before emptying the contents of the bag into the tureen of soup that was simmering on the stove. When Mikoto returned he was sitting at the kitchen table with a newspaper in his hands.

He felt a twinge of nerves as he sat down to eat that half-hour later. He _knew_ that his food was drugged. He must have looked rather green around the gills because his wife kept sending him worried glances. It would do him no good not to drink it, he told himself firmly as he forced the soup down his throat. If he didn't he'd know exactly what happened.

The soup was an appetiser and Fugaku had no appetite for the main course so he excused himself saying that he was feeling a mite queasy and would have a lie down. 'A bit too much to drink last night', he lied.

The drug took a while to make its way around their systems, Fugaku knew, but he was already feeling sluggish and sleepy. If he didn't calm down he'd give himself a heart attack – it was his increased pulse rate that was sending the powder through his veins so quickly. He hoped Mikoto wouldn't come up and find him unconscious.

He found his vision softening and blurring at the edges and his limbs felt heavy and grounded. He lay still as that feeling spread over him and his thoughts became incoherent and he stopped registering the noises of his surroundings. He couldn't help but succumb to that jumble of mush as it preyed on his entire body and dragged him down into a state of sleep.

Downstairs, Itachi started feeling the effects of the drug first. Halfway through his main course he yawned suddenly and felt his fingertips and toes tingle strangely. It hadn't registered as very unusual at first until he yawned again and his body responded violently by sending a sudden crippling warmth up to his face. He looked around the table. His mother looked slightly out of it, too.

Itachi stood and scraped the food left on his place into the bin and placed the dirty plate in the sink. He frowned as he focussed on getting his body to respond to the commands his brain was sending to get out of the kitchen. He made it to his bed before his legs crumpled and his body gave up listening to him. _What was his father playing at?_

"There must be a bug going around, dear," Mikoto said to Sasuke groggily back at the kitchen table. "I feel a bit queasy. I'm going to go up to bed too. Are you feeling okay?"

Sasuke nodded and ate another forkful of food. He felt fine. Mikoto cleared away her plate and asked Sasuke to wash up for her before joining his brother and father upstairs.

Sasuke finished up his food and went over to the enamel sink to wash up the plates. He hoped there was nothing too wrong with his family seeing as they'd gotten sick so suddenly. Once he'd cleaned and dried all the dishes he stretched and noted uneasily that he could feel fatigue in his bones. Perhaps he should call their doctor.

He managed to convince himself that it was just his imagination playing tricks on him because he was worried. He didn't feel queasy or _that_ tired, after all. He decided to wile away an hour or so before checking on his parents by reading his novel. It was getting quite interesting.

He tiptoed up the stairs so as not to disturb the ill members of his family and picked the book up off his bed before creeping back downstairs.

Settling down on the couch in the downstairs living room Sasuke opened his book on its marked page to find a small child sucking off another child's penis. Sasuke's eyes widened in shock as he boggled at the picture. Where did this come from? He turned the book round to check if he had the right book. He did. It took a while for it to click that Naruto had switched the cover.

"Bastard," Sasuke muttered, moving to sit up. His body felt a lot heavier than normal and his head swam when he looked down to see what it was that was weighing him down. Cold dread rushed through him when he found his control over his body to be clumsy and disjointed. "Shit!" He cursed.

He tried to force his body to move only to fall back seconds later panting with exertion and frustration. He let his head loll back uselessly and he cursed over and over as he sunk into a state of unconsciousness. _They'd been drugged_. _The whole family had been drugged_.

* * *

"Sasuke?" A silky voice rippled warmly along the edges of his consciousness and he stirred, struggling to open his eyes. His eyes were unfocussed and his head swam foggily in the bright light that confronted him. He squinted instinctively as his mind tried to make sense of his surroundings. The lights dimmed suddenly.

A warm hand was stroking his chest soothingly in calming circles but he could not remember undressing. He could feel, somewhat abstractedly, his skin burning under the light touch. His eyes fluttered closed and his head rolled limply to one side. It was too much of an effort to keep it up.

"Sasuke?" Fingers pushed on his cheek to tilt his head back up again and he felt something damp and warm press against his lips. He puckered his own lips immediately, responding impulsively to whatever was kissing him. He didn't question who he was with or what had happened or what was going on. He didn't have to, it felt okay.

A slick tongue invaded his mouth, pushing past his lips and tasting him. Somebody was sucking on his tongue, next, and then his top and bottom lip. It felt so soothing he could sleep. His head threatened to loll back again but the person held it still.

The hand that had been caressing his chest was now circling his nipple lazily with one finger. Sasuke registered this sluggishly and felt the need to squirm but his body was just too heavy. He could feel the tongue moving around in his mouth, too, detachedly. It tasted sweet.

"Nnnmm," he protested into the person's mouth when two fingers pinched his hardened nipple. He felt his back arch and the mouth moved away, leaving his wet mouth exposed to cold air. He turned his head almost petulantly. "Stop." His voice sounded so far away.

A wet and warm tongue trailed along his jaw and down his exposed neck. Someone sucked deliciously on his collarbone. His body twisted upwards again, foreign to him, and he made a strange mewling noise that didn't belong to him.

He could feel something brushing against the skin of his stomach, just below his ribcage, that tickle and he wanted to brush whatever it was away. Fingers were darting over his stomach and chest as the person continued to suck at various spots on his neck. That tickling feeling, it was so irritating.

Something was pressing into his hip, too. It was pointy and hard and it hurt. The feel of it felt familiar, but he couldn't place it for the life of him. He was feeling so _absent._

The mouth was back at his lips, only they were kissing him harder now, and with teeth. It hurt when they nibbled his bottom lip: an ache, like when his lips got chapped in the winter and he licked them to keep them moisturised but only succeeded in making them sore. He protested again but the person wasn't so nice this time. They tugged at his hair and pressed harder against his sore lips.

He was vaguely aware of dampness in his eyes that alarmed him, but he couldn't understand it.

The person above him was half on top of him, with a knee between and another on his other side by the backrest of the couch. Every time the person leaned closer, his thigh would press against his crotch. Sasuke didn't know… he couldn't tell… he couldn't feel… no, _he didn't_ _know_ what he felt.

Lips were tugging at his and it hurt a lot, but he didn't really feel it enough to cry out. It was uncomfortable, and he felt a surge of hatred when that tongue plunged back into his mouth and swirled around like it had any _place_ there.

"Go away," he tried to say with his mouth full. He must have bitten the tongue a bit, but the person didn't respond. Something hot trickled down the sides of his face and into his hair.

The mouth moved back away from him mouth and bore down sloppily on his chin, and then his neck, his collar, his chest. It didn't stop there though. The warm mouth rounded against his nipple and the tongue circled the bud as lazily as the finger had. Sasuke's body twisted treacherously into the mouth and he moaned in protest.

The mouth moved down to his stomach and the tickling stopped for a little while before reappearing at his chest and dragging along each bump of bone on his ribcage and right down to the taut plane of his milky stomach.

The tongue swashed around in his bellybutton and a sly hand drew firmly down from his stomach down into his pants. His body stiffened automatically as fingers teased the curls of his pubic hair. He was dimly horrified when his hips bucked into the palm that hovered just above his penis.

He saw his first registering glimpse of the stranger, a smirk, as he looked up at the buck. He looked pleased with himself.

The hand slid lower into his pants and a long finger ran along the underside of his balls, touching the sensitive spot heading up towards his entrance. Sasuke gasped, his back arching gauchely with his heavy limbs weighing him down.

The finger moved up and dipped a fingertip into him, making him gasp and buck again.

He knew he didn't want this but, _oh god, _it felt so good. It found himself pushing against the finger so that it slid a few millimetres further into him. He heard another strange whimper that seemed to come from him but, again, felt foreign to him. Suddenly, all contact was gone and he was left even more disorientated.

He managed to place the jingle of metal that belonged to a belt buckle. A stupid part of him felt proud that he had succeeded in placing something in the state he was where he wasn't even capable of real thought. The rest of him struggled against the effects of whatever was binding him.

"Come on, Sasuke," the voice coaxed, echoing in Sasuke's mind so that the voice sounded distorted and inhuman. He felt a frisson of fear bloom in the pit of his stomach for just an instant before it was quashed. "Lift your hips up for me."

He responded with simple stupidity, doing exactly as he was told like a little child. It was easier to follow another's commands than his own. His pants were tugged down his legs to his ankles brusquely and tucked away down the side of the sofa, he saw. Strong hands gripped his upper arms and hauled him upright. The movement was none too smooth and his head jerked floppily.

"Okay, Sasuke." He was propped up against the arm of the couch; in front of him was a trail of dark hair and an erect penis. He felt another frisson of fear and tried to turn his face away, squeezing his eyes closed so that he felt little splatters of moisture touch his cheekbones. His face was turned firmly forwards again and he let his head hang stubbornly so that he wouldn't have to see it again.

"No," he mumbled. "No, no, no. Stop."

Lips pressed against his abused lips and pushed roughly, opening his mouth roughly and working quickly. Sasuke tried to move his face away again but the person held firm. He peeked through his eyelashes and saw that smirk again.

"Suck it, Sasuke," the person commanded. "It'll hurt more if you don't." It sounded so reassuring that Sasuke forgot his fear for a moment and leaned his forehead against the flat stomach in front of him so that he was staring right at the obscene _thing_.

Fingers tangled in his hair and guided him to the tip. He opened his mouth and took the tip in, coating it with saliva. The hand continued to push down so he took more and more of the throbbing organ in. He swallowed around it, choking, when saliva built up in his mouth. He heard a guttural moan come from above him. He was pushed down further and the head touched his tonsils, making him retch and bite down a little.

With a hiss of pain from the person, he was yanked up by his hair, away. He winced because he thought he was going to be hit.

Instead, he was pushed down onto his back and the man positioned himself at the other end of the couch. His legs were spread and a finger was coated and plunged into his ass. He mewled in pain as the finger was moved around and another digit was added. A minute of pain and both fingers were removed. Tears trickled in a steady stream from Sasuke's eyes.

He felt the man guide himself to his entrance and the searing pain that came with the force with which the stranger pushed himself in. He was covered in sweat, in agony. He must've started making too much noise – he didn't know, he couldn't hear for pain – because his pants were balled up and shoved in his mouth. He continued to yell into the makeshift gag as his ass was torn in two.

Sasuke's chest heaved up and down as he took the pain. The stranger grunted with the effort it was taking to push himself in. In Sasuke's mind it took hours for the man to imbed himself fully in him. Hours of the worst pain imaginable, that spread up his spine and across his chest and down his legs right to the tips of his toes.

_Oh god_, and then he started to move. Rough grating and shoves that sent agonising ripples up and down his body, wracking him with pain. He found his arms moving by themselves to claw at this stranger as if to displace some of the pain. He bit down and ground his teeth on the gag, begging for it to end over and over like a mantra.

_Back, forth. Back, forth. Pain_. He could feel something warm dribbling slowly down his upper thigh.

He couldn't bear it, the rubbing, chafing feeling of that invading _thing _inside him. The mouth working it's way frenziedly over his chest and stomach. He dug his blunt nails hard into this person's back – if he'd been aware of the finer details he would have known he'd drawn blood and left little crimson half-moons that would late scab over.

He could here grunts as the man buried himself deeper, pushing into him. Each thrust had tears spurting and sent him screaming into the gag so loudly that his throat was ripped raw. He let his head loll, let alone by the person this time.

He focussed on the carving on the mantle piece as his body was shoved forward with each thrust. If he followed the pattern with his eyes he could almost pretend he wasn't there. Not for long though; one particularly violent thrust sent his head rolling to come face to face with the person.

He stared into cold, cruel eyes and that smirk before closing his eyes shut in fear. The gag was removed from his mouth and his lips were claimed as he was pounded into. The man delivered his final shuddering thrusts as he came to him climax at long last and collapsed heavily onto Sasuke. Sasuke cried out weakly, his throat rasping in protest.

He wasn't conscious when his attacker slid out of him and left.

* * *


	5. Hell, hate and home

**Diamond in the Dirt**

**Warning: Rated M**

Author's notes: Hello readers! I would like to say thank you for the great response I had to the last chapter, I'm very grateful. You're very inspiring. I told a few reviewers I would have this up by last Friday, but I had a very hectic working week since I was called in on Saturday and couldn't post until now.

* * *

**Chapter 5**

**Hell, hate and home**

"Hn," Sasuke replied, clenching his fists in his pockets and hunching up in his black turtleneck. Naruto had teased him because of his limp. He didn't want to talk about what may have happened in the night. He couldn't remember much and could only assume that he'd been… that he knew what had happened based on the facts that he woken up naked and covered in dry sweat, he was in pain and that there'd been dried blood caked between his ass cheeks and on his thighs.

His stomach clenched and turned over. He felt nauseous at the thought.

"Pull a muscle pressing the pedals whilst playing Mozart?" Naruto mocked, jogging in circles around him to be deliberately irritating.

He felt shivery and feverish; maybe it was a side-effect of whatever had knocked him out? He touched the back of his palm to his cheek absently but it was cool. It still hurt, everywhere.

Sasuke turned his eye away from the bouncing blond and watched the pavement as he walked. What he needed was to get home as soon as possible so that he could be alone and deal with what had happened. _Alone_.

"What's with you?" Naruto asked, butting into his thoughts by peering into his face. Sasuke inhaled sharply at their closeness and backed away sharply. Naruto raised his eyebrows at him before bursting into loud laughter. When Sasuke didn't defend himself and returned to staring at the floor, Naruto simmered down and looked at him seriously.

"Something's wrong, isn't it?" He asked seriously, watching Sasuke carefully. Sasuke looked at Naruto through the locks of hair that framed his face, deadpan.

"If there _was_ something wrong, it wouldn't be any of _your_ business." Sasuke dug his nails into his palms in his pockets hard, making purple indentations. Naruto exhaled wearily.

"Sure, sure, I forget my place sometimes: subhuman." Naruto made a face and took to walking a few paces behind Sasuke to prove his point. It was lost on the youngest Uchiha, though. He was absorbed in the concrete floor again. Naruto blinked his blue eyes curiously, falling behind a little more. Sasuke showed no sign of slowing down.

"Hey! Sasuke! Wait up," Naruto called loudly, turning a few heads. Sasuke didn't slow or stop, so Naruto jogged to catch up with him. "You don't know your way around here. There are some places somebody like you doesn't want to end up in."

"I'm not scared," Sasuke told him irritably. "What's there to be scared of?" As he asked this he was almost knocked over by a market worker holding three crates in his outstretched arms. Naruto tugged him backwards, out of the man's path.

"Whatcha!" He shouted coarsely, sending Sasuke a furious look.

"You see?" Naruto said plainly, eyebrows raised imperiously. "Out here you're not a big cheese. You're a target with a big red shiny bullseye." Sasuke doubted that very much, but he lacked the inclination to argue. The worst _may have_ already happened, anyway. Could things get worse from there?

"What do you need from the market, Sasuke?" Naruto asked in another attempt to stir him out of his pensive state. He wasn't much fun when he didn't bite.

"My mother gave you a list, didn't she?" came the acidic response. His mother and father had still been out cold when he'd slunk upstairs coated in dry sweat, disorientated and bloody to shower, so he hadn't said anything right away. He'd been summoning up the courage to say something but it seemed that every minute that passed he became less and less sure of the facts. He'd remember something like that. He remembered nothing.

Naruto blinked, slightly surprised. Gone were the snotty remarks of superiority, replaced by sincere hatred. "Oh yeah, I do." He pulled out the list Mikoto had left out on the kitchen counter for him. She wasn't feeling too good; apparently everyone had a bug of some sort.

"You need a very specific winter hat," Naruto remarked slowly as he read the description of a woollen cap. It had to be a certain shade of blue, a certain material and a certain style. "A lacrosse stick? Isn't that a girls' sport?" He snorted with laughter at the other items.

Sasuke wasn't paying the slightest bit off attention. He was calculating the time it would take to buy his things, get home and lock himself in his room. His lips trembled as he breathed through his mouth - it was really cold today.

"Hey," Naruto said softly, touching Sasuke's upper arm. "You're really shivering. Your lips are purple." Sasuke's blood froze when he felt Naruto's fingers on his upper arm. He recoiled, staring cagily at the blond. "Are you sure nothing's wrong?" Sasuke glared lividly. Was he that obvious?

"What part of 'it's none of your business' don't you understand? There's _nothing_ wrong with me." Naruto reached out to touch him again and he flinched so violently Naruto moved away from him for fear of being hit. He hummed through his lips thoughtfully.

"Hypothetically, if there was something wrong with you, would you tell somebody about it?" Sasuke narrowed his eyes contemptuously.

"Like you, you mean?" Sasuke sneered loathingly. "There's nothing wrong. Stop picking holes in _my_ life just because yours is a fucking joke." He felt like socking his fist in the middle of Naruto's face. Inside his pocket, his hands were shaking with anger.

"_My_ life's a joke?" Naruto questioned incredulously, riled up by Sasuke's foul temper. Jeez, that was what he got for trying to be nice. "Excuse me for not deriving pleasure from looking for double-knitted woollen highlander hats in royal blue shade 120._ Apologies_ for not playing the piano. I beg your pardon that living on the streets makes my life funny. I am so sorry that my joke of a life has put you in a bad mood. Why don't I just die, for your convenience, sir? You hang people like me, don't you? I'm sorry that my existence is so dreadful you feel that 'my kind' needs to be exterminated."

Sasuke seethed, swinging around and facing Naruto head on. "Tell me how you ended up on the streets, Naruto. Tell me that you don't belong to this disgusting culture of prostitutes, drug-dealers and alcoholics. Tell me that you don't wish you had a better life." He spat icily.

"If a better life means living like you, Sasuke, than I'd rather be on the streets forever. You 'educated and wealthy people' are all the same – ignorant, scum, villains, crooks. _You_ tell _me_ that you've never felt suffocated there. I've been working for you for three days and I don't think I've ever felt so stifled before in my life." Naruto edged right up to Sasuke so that he was staring him right in the eye.

"Your kind," he continued quietly, "would sell out their own family if it benefited them. On the streets, although we have our brawls, we stick out for each other. You don't get friends selling each other out for a little extra. You're all out for number one." He finished quite sadly, with some definite depth in his eyes and voice.

It chilled Sasuke to the bone that Naruto had skimmed the very surface of what had passed through Sasuke's mind about what might have happened that night. _It was so convenient that everyone was sick._

Sasuke's hand whipped out of his pocket and he was holding Naruto by the collar of his shirt. He wanted to punch him; kick him; shove him to the ground. He held on for a few seconds before releasing the material.

"Let's just get this over with and get home." Naruto nodded and joined Sasuke at his side. He could see that Sasuke was not his usual self and didn't want to push his buttons too much if he was feeling fragile. Naruto could sympathise just a little, just this once.

Naruto kept his eyes peeled for the different items on the shopping list. Sasuke wasn't paying attention to where he was going or what he was doing so Naruto had to take to doing everything himself. Sasuke's feet just walked where Naruto did and his hands dropped money in Naruto's palms when a purchase was made.

At the clothing stall Naruto tugged a woollen highlander hat onto Sasuke's head because he wouldn't respond and guided him to the mirror. The stallholder smiled sympathetically, assuming there was something wrong with Sasuke and that Naruto was his helper and held the mirror up to Sasuke's face. Naruto held his breath and hoped that Sasuke would not lash out. The hat would be hard to find elsewhere. Highlander hats were not very popular, clearly, judging by the fact that this stall was the only one that sold them.

"Is this the right one, Sasuke?" Naruto asked almost tentatively. Sasuke looked at himself and Naruto noted that he looked a bit bewildered at his reflection. His eyebrows furrowed a fraction as he watched Sasuke scrutinise the hat blandly.

"Does it matter?" Sasuke muttered. Naruto had to strain to hear him, and once he made out what Sasuke had said he looked questioningly at him. Sasuke clarified.

"You were right. It's stupid," he said somewhat defeatedly. He pulled the hat off of his head and handed it to the stallholder. Static electricity caused a few strands of his hair to stand upright for a few seconds. Naruto looked at him quite worriedly. What if something was seriously wrong?

That was his problem: he was much too kind-hearted. Jiraiya had called him 'bleeding heart' once, because he'd brought home a dying dog as a kid thinking he could nurse it back to health. It had died during the first night, Naruto recalled, and had given Jiraiya ringworm as a leaving present.

"Now's not the time to question life, Sasuke. Is it the right colour?" Naruto took the hat back from the stallholder – who was smiling stupidly, confused – and held it up for Sasuke to look at. "The stallholder said it's royal blue, but I don't know much about colours." He nudged Sasuke with his elbow. "Come on."

It was clear that Sasuke was not going to reply. "Okay, okay," Naruto sighed heavily and lowered the hat. He turned to the shopkeeper with a roll of his eyes. "He'll take it. I doubt he'll wear it anyway. He doesn't look like much of a hat wearer, does he?" He grinned widely.

"Yes," the stallholder said brightly. She was foreign, and her voice had a funny lilt to it. Naruto thought she sounded nice. Out of the corner of his eye Naruto saw Sasuke tune into her, just a little, probably thinking the same thing.

The hat was the last thing on their itinerary and upon paying the woman Naruto began leading Sasuke back out of the market and onto the road back home. As they emerged from the colourful shelter of tarpaulin and noise the cold attacked them mercilessly and both boys had to wrap their scarves tighter and hunch up into whatever coat they had. Naruto glanced up at the sky, praying it wouldn't snow at night.

On the horizon was the deep black smoke of a raging fire. Naruto pointed it out to Sasuke for need to fill the uncomfortable silence. "Look at that. Somebody's having a barbeque in January." It was a feeble joke and Sasuke didn't even give a flicker of a response. Naruto had guessed as much.

A few seconds later he heard the wail of a fire engine a few roads away. "I'll have to see what's happening later on," he said eagerly, voyeuristically. "If there's a big fire there's a good chance that I might get me some items to pawn. To make a little cash." He watched Sasuke in the hope that he would be shocked that he would do such a thing when somebody had just lost their home.

"Hn." Sasuke looked at the smoke on the horizon disinterestedly, just a flick of the eyes in the direction of the black cloud.

Naruto squinted at the black furl and tried to work out where it was, marking out on a mental map what road it was on. His knowledge of this area had a few large gaps, but he could tell that it wasn't very far from Sasuke's road. It was about five roads to the left and further away from the centre of town – about two kilometres from where he was standing now.

He hadn't been lying when he said he would take any items he found in the wreckage. Once the fire had been extinguished and the arson investigators had gone around and closed off the area he would slip under the police line and salvage anything that had survived to sell or keep for himself. With the money he made he could hire a room for a few days or buy good food. Why would he let the bad feelings of others get between him and some good money?

As they walked slowly – Sasuke's slight limp kept them from walking any faster than a lazy amble – Naruto kept his eye on the position of the fire, getting a more accurate idea of its whereabouts. The thick column of smoke had dwindled to a dark grey pillar, signifying that it was being extinguished. Naruto wondered how bad the damage would be. If he was lucky, some of the rooms would still be intact and he'd be able to get some quality items.

"That fire," Sasuke spoke monotonously into the silence permeated only by their footsteps until now, "it's near my house." His eyebrows furrowed as he frowned, interested at last in the smoke.

"No," Naruto replied, watching the spot also. "I've worked it out. It's a few roads away from your house. I know this area like the back of my hand."

His words fell on deaf ears as Sasuke stopped completely and frowned deeply at the smoke. His lips moved as he traced something in his mind and turned his head away from the smoke. Naruto raised his eyebrows. Sasuke had flipped – mumbling and fidgeting was what mad old Chiyo did when she wasn't shuffled around the streets shrieking like a banshee.

Sasuke started again, moving more quickly homewards. Naruto followed behind him curiously, watching him for any more signs of mental perturbation. "Sasuke?" He called out hesitantly.

Sasuke slipped down the next road and cut across somebody's garden to get onto a small side road. Naruto sped up, irritated. "Sasuke!"

He jogged to catch up to the pale boy, feeling self-conscious as he caught someone peeping through their net curtains when the heard him yell. He crossed the same front garden Sasuke had and vaulted over a low wall that ran parallel to the side street Sasuke was hurrying down. He caught Sasuke up and jogged alongside him.

"Do you mind telling me why you're running off? Aren't I supposed to be protecting you from harm?" He asked sarcastically.

"Shut up," Sasuke said in a pained voice as he ran as best he could with the pain that continued assaulting his legs and spine and backside. Naruto growled and grabbed Sasuke's shoulder, dragging him to a stop. Sasuke fought against his firm grip, but many brawls had strengthened Naruto's hold. "Get off!"

Naruto watched as Sasuke twisted in his grasp, trying as hard as he could to get away from him. The look on his face was irrationally panicky, and his eyes were wild and fearful. Naruto took pity: "Sasuke," he said softly but firmly, so that Sasuke stopped pulling away from him, "tell me why you're running." He loosened his grip and Sasuke stepped away from him, but made no attempt to run again.

In Sasuke's eyes was mistrust and unwilling cooperation, Naruto saw. He had no choice but to spill, but it was crystal clear that given the choice he wouldn't say a thing. "I think the fire's on my street. I want to see if my family's okay." His voice was hard. The anxiety was hidden. Naruto nodded.

"Let's hurry, then."

Naruto started running, more easily than Sasuke but slower to let him keep up, in the direction of the Uchiha house.

_Straight. Turn first right. Straight ahead. Cross the road. Down the second road._

The smoky cloud was definitely closer and Naruto edited his map again, realising with a deep sense of foreboding that Sasuke was right about the fire being near his home. Adrenalin had altered his senses so that the sound of their feet hitting the concrete pavement sounded unnaturally loud.

_Forward. Turn down the last on the right road. Cross the road. Down a side road. Forward. Sharp right. _

The cloud was looming above them ominously now, curling out over the tops of the last row of houses. It was indeed on Sasuke's road. It wasn't the same black it was earlier, but that didn't make it look any less threatening. Naruto spared a glance as Sasuke as they pounded down this final street to turn onto Sasuke's road. He'd gone deathly pale, and Naruto felt more realisation dawning. _Was it Sasuke's house that was on fire?_

Rounding that final corner, they were met with fire-fighters extinguishing a dying fire on charcoal-black and smouldering remains of a house that, on that very morning not more than two hours ago, had stood grandly. Sasuke came to a stop and stared. Naruto slowed and stopped a few steps in front of him. Sasuke searched for his family amongst the stricken-looking group of evacuated families.

Naruto did the same, his blue pupils moving rapidly as he identified each person in the group. He saw that the Uchihas were not there before Sasuke did, and saw the horror spread over his face. He ran forward to where an officer was standing, scribbling something down in a notebook and talking into a walkie-talkie.

"Have you seen my family? The Uchiha family," Sasuke asked desperately. Naruto watched, hoping, from where he stood. The officer snapped closed his walkie-talkie and gathered himself up. Naruto recognised the burden of bad news he was carrying and his heart sunk.

"Lad, I'm sorry. We're still trying to find them." Naruto took the officer's sad shake of his head to go to Sasuke's side. "We're doing everything we can, and we have paramedics on site if we find anyone. I'm terribly sorry, son." The officer reddened at the use of 'son' and opened his mouth to apologise again. Naruto silenced him with a pointed look before guiding Sasuke away.

"Do you have somewhere to stay? Just until they find your family," Naruto asked him gently. Sasuke shook his head numbly.

"You can stay with me, if you want. The government places are pretty awful if you're underage and I can find you a nice place for the night." Naruto offered.

"I'm not leaving. I need to see if my parents and Itachi are okay." Naruto bit his lip. If his parents and brother had been in that house, whatever had happened, and it had burnt away this badly in such a short space of time it was unlikely that they would be alive and well.

"Stay here," Naruto said to Sasuke. He went back to the officer and said quietly: "What happened?"

"I'm 'fraid I can't tell you that, son. It's confidential until the arson investigators have approved released information themselves."

"Oh, come on," Naruto pleaded, "you've got witnesses who are free to say whatever they want about what happened and it's his _home_ that you're putting out. His _family_ might be in there." The officer shifted with reluctance.

"You're putting me in a difficult position here. Those people over there have been told not to discuss what they've seen, but it's not their job to protect that information. I want to help you, son, but my job will be on the line." He shifted uncomfortably again and looked from side to side, as if even the mention of telling would make him lose his job. Naruto did not relent.

"I'm not just anybody. Look at him – he won't leave until he knows about his family. Tell me if there's a chance they're alive." There was a battle going on behind the officer's eyes as he twisted his mouth and shifted his weight from foot to foot. He leaned close to Naruto.

"If they were in the house, there's no chance they're alive, boy. The witnesses reported that the house suddenly went up in flames. You're going to draw the conclusion that there was a bomb - and you didn't hear it from me. Take your friend somewhere safe for now because it won't be pretty when we find whatever's in there." He nodded towards the black remains of the house. Naruto could almost hear the chilling screams of Mikoto, Fugaku and Itachi being eaten alive by flames. He shuddered.

"Thank you very much for your honesty," Naruto said lowly, turning back towards Sasuke. "I'll get him out of here for a few hours."

Sasuke was standing, shivering, and watching the black wreckage diligently. Naruto approached him slowly, unsure of how to get him away. He couldn't blurt out that his family was most probably dead - burned alive – but he couldn't _lie_ to him.

"Sasuke," he started, "why don't we come back later?" He winced when Sasuke turned to him hollowly.

"They're gone, aren't they?" Naruto didn't answer for a while.

"It's not certain," he replied carefully, and then added for optimism: "anything's possible."

Sasuke closed his eyes and grit his teeth. A vein pulsed in his jaw and neck. "I'm not stupid," he said stiffly. He did not continue. Naruto took a deep breath and placed a consoling hand on Sasuke's forearm.

"C'mon, I'll take you someplace to stay."

* * *


	6. Riches and rags

**Diamond in the Dirt**

**Warning: Rated M**

Author's notes: I have to say something about this chapter. I can't say that my characters are OOC yet because there hasn't been enough development in them to be really sure, but I have to point out that Shizune seems completely different to me. It's like: What happened to Tsunade's assistant? You'll see what I mean, and thanks for the reviews for last chapter.

* * *

**Chapter 6**

**Riches and rags**

Naruto stroked Sasuke's damp hair, wet by the icy humidity of the night. The pale boy was curled up fetally inside a burlap sack and underneath Naruto's new blanket. Naruto was sitting beside him awake to ward off any thieves or other dangers that Sasuke would not be able to deal with. Sasuke was quivering but whether it was because of a dream, grief or cold, Naruto could not say. He was stroking his hair because it soothed him and he was sorry.

He couldn't find 'someplace' for Sasuke to stay. Jiraiya had let them down – the landlord was coming round, apparently - and police checks still made illegitimate lodging houses off-limits, so they'd ended up on the streets. Sasuke had been too out of it to complain and had fallen asleep surprisingly fast. For Naruto, it wasn't as easy. He was feeling responsible for Sasuke's wellbeing and incredibly sad about the turn of events.

Naruto moved closer to Sasuke and tugged the blanket tighter around him. The gas-lamp that lit the alleyway cast dark shadows over Sasuke's milky-white face and he looked so troubled Naruto ran his fingers across his forehead to try to smooth out his sadness. Someone had once told him that people were only truly themselves when they slept.

Sasuke twitched at the touch of his fingers on his face and turned so that his chin was tucked in close to his chest. Naruto let his hand return to the icy black locks of hair that accepted the comfort more willingly than his skin.

He teased out knots and smoothed spikes until Sasuke stirred. He didn't want Sasuke to see him as any less of a threat than he had been before or as treating him any differently. 'Business as usual' was street code: if a whore got sick, a whore would carry on; if a dealer got killed, somebody took his place; if the booze was scarce, drink something else that would leave you inebriated.

Naruto's face felt stiff with fatigue as he moved away from Sasuke. He clenched his jaw and rubbed his burning eyes and waited for Sasuke to come out of his slumber. He felt slightly apprehensive as to how Sasuke would cope with the events of yesterday now that his energy had been replenished.

Sasuke opened his eyes to the purple-darkness of the night and squinted in the glare of the streetlight. He was still quite disorientated and for a few seconds all he could hear was the hiss of the gas-lamp and the drumming of his own heart.

"Where are we?" He asked when he caught sight of Naruto. He couldn't remember coming here and didn't recognise the street. He sat up and shivered when the blanket and burlap sack fell down and pooled around his waist, leaving his chest more exposed to the cold. He tugged the blanket back around his shoulders.

"We're in an alleyway. I'm sorry I couldn't find us someplace better." Naruto nodded at a pile of soggy cardboard boxes shoved against the wall for emphasis. Naruto cast an experienced eye on him. "You're freezing. Here, put this on or you'll catch your death." He rummaged through his bag and pulled out the royal blue highlander hat from before and handed it to Sasuke.

Sasuke did so obediently, adjusting it so the hair at the back of his head pointed downwards and fanned out about his collar. The woollen flaps on either side kept the biting cold away from his ears and warmed him a lot more than he would have guessed. He was able to tone his shivering down to the odd tremor and chatter of teeth.

"Okay?" Naruto asked, and Sasuke nodded. "How are you feeling?" Naruto questioned next, not looking at Sasuke. It wasn't often that circumstances required him to be nice. Sasuke tensed, becoming defensive at once. Naruto changed tact hastily: "Right, right. Do you want to take a look around the districts since you're up and err…?"

Sasuke looked at him pointedly. "To see the wonderful sights?" He replied sarcastically.

"Well, if you're not interested you can stay here. I need to talk to a few people and see if I can pick up something to eat. Don't tell me you're not hungry."

"I'm not hungry," Sasuke said, just to contradict Naruto. In fact, his stomach was growling. Naruto stood up stiffly and stretched out his aching joints. It was hard work sitting up for seven hours straight in the freezing cold.

"If you're sure, then. You know not to look at, speak to or aggravate anyone, right? Don't move from this spot so I can come and get you. I'll tell you now that there's a lot that goes on around here that even your seediest tabloid doesn't cover." Naruto did not want to leave Sasuke by himself in an alleyway but he wasn't going to force him.

Sasuke huffed and lay back down, pressing his cheek firmly into the bin-bag that had served as his pillow and staring vacantly at the space in front of him. Naruto almost touched his hair again to reassure him but caught himself in time. A light blush smattered across his cheeks in embarrassment.

"I'll see you in about an hour."

He set off down the alleyway and onto the street, headed towards Kiba for his morning tot of alcohol. He'd need more than a sip to get through today – it really wasn't helping that Sasuke, a rich kid, was lying in an alleyway without a contact on the streets to protect him. He heaved his bag over his head so that it was securely attached to him because he knew well enough that if you weren't holding your possessions tight, somebody else soon would be.

He found Kiba outside Tsunade's brothel, beseeching whisky from a bad-tempered looking whore. Naruto sifted through his mental database of familiar faces until he found a name to match the whore: Shizune. People, _customers_, described her as 'hard-working'. Naruto had always been curious about how she'd earned that adjective in her line of work.

"Hi Kiba, Shizune." He greeted casually, raising a hand up in a 'hello'. Kiba shot him a broad grin and Shizune gave him a rushed smile before resuming her argument with Kiba.

"Kiba, I don't _care_ how much Lady Tsunade gives you; I can't spare you a bottle of whisky without her here. You can wait until she comes back." She tossed her head in irritation and pushed her hair back behind her ears. In her anger her bathrobe (this was a very clean brothel) had slipped and her chest was almost entirely exposed. Naruto could see Kiba's eyes constantly travelling downwards.

"Where is the old hag?" Naruto butted into their dispute. Kiba's whisky was his whisky, after all. Shizune lowered her voice:

"Termination," she whispered almost gleefully. Juicy gossip was the only other thing the hookers thrived on. They had three main staples: sleep with people, destroy 'colleagues' with gossip and purloin as much from clients as possible. "Everybody's saying it's somebody from the drug faction but _I_ know better. It's that old man with the long hair."

Naruto almost gagged choking back a laugh. Jiraiya and the old hag may have fooled around in the past, but he wasn't getting any from her at the moment. Jiraiya had told Naruto that he was laying off the sex for a while because there was a little… _problem_ going around with the brothel girls. "Really?" Naruto indulged her.

"She's always with him. If I didn't know her better I'd say they were going to end up like that Haku." She noticed her bathrobe had come lose when she caught both Naruto's and Kiba's eyes on her chest and tugged it tighter around her, flushing indignantly. Naruto didn't know hookers were capable of taking offence at something like that.

"Come on Shizune," Kiba whined, rubbing his whiskered chin. "It's cold and I'm sleeping rough every night. I need a bottle of the old medicine to keep me coming back to see you."

The street code said that flattering hookers got you most places – and things.

Shizune did not look pleased, but then a wicked smirk crossed her face. "I'll get you a bottle of the finest whisky," she said sweetly, "on the condition that you get somebody to sleep with our problem-whore." The triumphant smiles that had been on Kiba's and Naruto's face dropped in horror. The problem ones were always… problematic.

"What's wrong with her?" Kiba asked bravely, gulping.

"She's a virgin, ex-rich-kid and ugly. You need to get her cherry popped before spring because she's my charge and if I don't get her some clients I'm going to end up whoring out to boozers and druggies." Kiba opened his mouth to defend the alcohol-dependents but Shizune continued before he could speak. "No offence, Kiba, of course."

"None taken," he muttered darkly. Naruto chuckled.

"Is it a deal then? I'll be nice: it doesn't have to be either of you. It can be any schmuk you find and you've got two and a half months 'til spring."

"It's a deal," Naruto and Kiba said simultaneously. Shizune smiled triumphantly, leading them into the brothel to the alcohol store.

As she grabbed a bottle of the best whisky they owned, she turned with a slightly evil looking smile on her face. "I forgot to mention that if you fail to complete you side of the deal, Orochimaru will have you. We're under new management." Naruto and Kiba gaped at her, and then each other. There was a tense pause.

"Gee, thanks for telling us, Shizune," Kiba bit out mordantly, snatching the bottle out of her hands and uncorking it. He took a long swig and shuddered, wiping him mouth. "Ah, that's the good stuff, though." He handed the bottle to Naruto, who also took a large swill, and then another. Kiba and Shizune raised their eyebrows.

"Bad morning?" Shizune asked, watching him keenly. Naruto winced as the fiery liquid burned the back of his throat and his stomach on its way down.

"I thought you'd never ask. Have you heard of the Uchiha family?" Kiba's eyes widened significantly.

"The ones from yesterday's fire? Apparently it was arson on a major scale. I'm not sure how accurate this is but Big Daddy Uchiha was involved in some dodgy business out here and picked a fight with the wrong guy. Yeah, I've heard of them." Kiba whistled in some degree of awe. Shizune simply nodded to say she followed.

"I'm looking after the little one of the family until we find his parents. I've left him back there in the alley, asleep." Shizune looked impressed and Kiba stood up a little straighter. Both were intrigued to have such an interesting story right under their noses.

"If you find his parents, you mean," Shizune said smugly, pleased to have information to share. "I was working for this tabloid journalist last night, and his small talk was about this fire. He was telling me about what happened to bodies in different cases of arson," she shuddered, eyes shining at the ghoulish memory, "and your kid would be lucky to find his mother's left hand in that kind of a blaze, apparently." She twisted her hair around her fingers before throwing in: "he was really into all that 'necrophilia' kind of stuff. Is that unhealthy?"

Naruto and Kiba ignored her. "What are you going to do with him? You could hold him ransom, you know? if he has any family. Or you could sell him off for some vengeance thing. I'm sure you could haul in millions of ryo." Kiba rubbed his hands together gleefully. Naruto bit his lip.

He wouldn't do that, not even if this had all happened the first day he had worked at the Uchiha household. He could be street-savvy in every way, shape and form but he could never be that cruel and heartless to another human being. The streets were supposed to pound compassion out of anybody but Naruto still bore his like a boulder around his neck.

Kiba saw him hesitating and rolled his eyes, knowing what was coming. Naruto had quite the reputation for being a softie already. It was little wonder that the brat had been able to rob Naruto of his blanket; it was hardly a feat.

"C'mon, Naruto. He would sell you in a second if you ended up stuck with him – do yourself a favour for once. I can make it easier for you by doing it myself. All you have to do is hand him over to me and we'll share the money seventy-thirty. Seventy to you - of course - and thirty to me – but you have to buy me booze too."

"You'd be an idiot not to. With that kind of money I'd open my own café," Shizune gushed, trying to get in on the possible income. Naruto frowned, trying to push his morals aside like Shizune and Kiba. His conscience kicked in.

"He's human, and he's just lost his family. I can't do that to him. I'll just leave him at some government home: that's torture enough, isn't it?" Despite how hard he tried to sound mature and better than them, he couldn't keep the note of self-conscious uncertainty from his question. Kiba and Shizune exchanged superior looks. Naruto felt spurred on to defend Sasuke.

"Listen, I'm not going to do that to him. He's a bastard and he's conceited and his father and brother were the most awful snobs I have ever had the misfortune to meet, but it's not his fault he's like that. I'm not putting my ass on the line for him so I'm going to stick him in the first government home I see. I'm going to get some food for us." For some reason, he felt like crying. He had that annoying tight feeling in his chest and a build up of pressure behind his eyes and tingling in his cheeks.

Before he left, he plucked the bottle from Kiba's hand and took another swig for strength and for courage. Stealing for two was much harder than stealing for one, as logic implies.

It turned out he didn't even have to steal. He'd forgotten about the money Fugaku had given him for decent clothes that he'd tucked away into the lining of his bag until his fingers jingled the coins when he reached for his scarf. He'd already had decent clothes Fugaku had asked for; he just didn't wear them very often. He paid for two breakfast-type meals of buttered loaves and fruit juice and carried them back to the alley where he'd left Sasuke feeling almost friendly. It felt kind of good to help somebody out for reasons other than drugs, sex or alcohol.

Sasuke had fallen asleep again by the time he got back, curled up small for warmth and trussed up tight in the burlap and the blanket. His face was paler than usual and his lips were blue with cold. Naruto frowned as he knelt down beside him, placing a worried hand on his forehead_. Oh god_. He looked dead_. _

At the touch, Sasuke awoke with a huge start, jerking violently and pressing himself against the wall. Naruto held up his hand in a gesture of appeasement, showing he meant no threat. That's what it boiled down to when you were half-asleep and in an unfamiliar setting: instincts.

"Where the fuck do you get off sneaking up on me like that?" Sasuke fumed, relaxing so that he peeled away from the wall and into a slumped sit. Naruto handed him on of the brown paper bags of food.

"Sorry. I kinda thought you were… erm… dead?" Naruto rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, scrunching his eyes vaguely. Sasuke gave him a very long and acidic stare before opening the brown bag and wrinkling his nose at the contents. "What's this?" He asked, looking as though the perfectly delicious fresh buns and country butter were dung.

"Don't complain," Naruto replied dryly, settling down beside Sasuke to eat his own breakfast. "Sure, it's not some five-star continental but it's pretty damn good. You're lucky you didn't end up with a half-eaten sandwich or a piece of heavily bruised fruit." He pulled out his bun and waved it in Sasuke's face pointedly. He took a large bite and made an appreciative noise.

Sasuke glared at him once more, and then he pulled his own bun out and took a small bite. It was still warm, the dough light and fluffy. The butter had melted and had soaked into the bread, bringing out the salty, creamy flavour. Sasuke swallowed and took a larger bite.

"It's good, isn't it? Naruto's voice was muffled as he spoke through a mouthful of bread. "God, if I could eat this everyday I'd gladly die next month." He closed his eyes in bliss. Sasuke looked at him sideways, raising his eyebrows dubiously.

Seeing Naruto's side of life was more than a shock. He'd expected a shabby flat shared between a few people; cheap meals made in a microwave; drunken or stoned weekends. He definitely had not thought of half-eaten sandwiches or bin-bag beds in the freezing cold. Naruto, with his blond hair and lively demeanour, did not look as though he had to survive this every day of his life, not knowing from where or when his next meal was coming and having the constant threat of god-only-knows what as he slept. He'd been out here _one night_ and he was turning his nose up at what, to Naruto, was a delicacy. Naruto had probably gone out of his way to get that if he was accustomed to leftovers and rotten fruit.

"Yeah." Sasuke gave his delayed answer. Naruto smiled. He was glad Sasuke had approved.

"Try the juice. It's the real stuff, made by market people who grow their own fruit. I think you'll like it." Naruto leaned over Sasuke's legs to pull out the juice and unscrewed the cap helpfully, holding it out to him. He looked expectantly at Sasuke. Sasuke took the bottle out of Naruto's hand and took a sip, letting the taste of bitter orange juice with pulp splash over his taste buds.

"It's good too, right? They have other flavours." Sasuke nodded. It was good orange juice and he wondered how these people had grown oranges in this kind of weather. Greenhouses? – the cost would be huge, unless they sold the juice for an incredibly high price. He had to doubt that the oranges weren't imported. Not that he cared, anyway.

"It's good. Thank you." Sasuke paused. "Where's the nearest police station from here?" Naruto looked up from his bun and at Sasuke.

"There's one on the main street about ten minutes from here, cutting through the brothels - thirty minutes if you don't. It won't open for another three hours or so, though. You won't believe that it's only about six o'clock." That, indeed, was surprising. It felt a lot more like eight or nine, what with the brightness of the light. His room at his house had always been pitch-black at this time of the morning with the blinds pulled close and the curtains drawn.

They lapsed into a silence where Naruto thought of how to fill the quiet and Sasuke asked himself what next. In the last three days his life had gone from mediocre and tedious to complete and utter shit. He'd didn't want to think about what had happened to his house. He didn't want to think about what had happened to him. He definitely did not want to think about his family.

A while ago – a few years ago – his father had forced him into doing weekly sessions with a therapist to sort out some anxiety problems he'd been having. His anxiety was practically non-existent but his father was a stickler for having perfect sons. So, that tiny imperfection had resulted in three months and twelve sessions of therapy. From those sessions Sasuke had learned to take things as they come with no planning. He'd also become extremely apathetic.

His house had caught fire yesterday, it was in the past. He didn't think of it. What he had to think about was that he was going to the police office at nine and he had about four hours to kill.

Naruto tapped his foot to an imaginary beat, groping around his brain desperately for something to say. He could deal with silence. He could deal with silence when he was _alone_. Having company made him nervous, especially when his company was Uchiha Sasuke, rich kid and recent orphan. I mean, what do you say to somebody?

Most of him wanted to ask him what he was thinking, how he was coping. Correction: he craved it. He'd gotten as far as to open his mouth a few time to ask him, again, how he was feeling and if he was okay.

Sasuke finished up his bun – Naruto had wolfed his down almost five minutes ago, Sasuke was a slow eater – and wiped his hands on the burlap sack. He dusted crumbs off his clothes and licked his lips. He still had almost a whole bottle of juice left. Naruto let his eyes drift over his companion, taking in the light purple under his eyes and the way he kept his elbows tucked in to his sides as he sat. As if he was falling apart inside and was trying to hold himself together unnoticeably.

Sasuke felt the blond watching him. He could see in his peripheral vision blue eyes darting across his face and down at his body, _searching_ for something. He wanted turn around, to tell him that he wouldn't find any of his secrets on the surface, to back off, to stop bothering with him. He'd be out of his hands by the end of the day.

Sasuke turned to look Naruto directly in the eye. He immediately became flustered and his eyes darted to the juice.

"Are you going to finish that?" He asked, his embarrassment at being caught working well as the sheepishness in his question.

"Yes, I am," Sasuke replied. He turned away and let an arrogant smirk grace his face, but not before Naruto caught it. He was glad that he could coax that out of him in these circumstances. Maybe things would go back to normal for Sasuke, given a few months and some stability.

Sasuke put the bottle to his lips and drained half of the juice. He stared at the bright liquid for a few seconds, and then held it out to Naruto in the same way Naruto had done for him earlier. Naruto's mouth opened in surprise at first, and then he smiled.

"Thanks."

The silence returned, but it was friendlier on Naruto's side. As in, there wasn't the need to fill it with talk. Maybe it was just because he could occupy himself with the juice, but he would have liked to put his ryo on it being because he'd made Sasuke's day a little more normal. Until now it had felt too weird and uncomfortable to be normal.

To Sasuke, today felt like a dream. He'd slept on the streets. He was _alone_. He was eating freaking buns in an alley at five o'clock in the morning _alone_. It was so unbelievable he felt he needed to wake up to believe it had really happened.

Somewhat self-consciously because he knew Naruto would look at him, Sasuke lay back down and closed his eyes. He could push it back, but it was always there on the fringes of his conscious eating at his energy.

* * *


	7. The government and saying goodbye

**Diamond in the Dirt**

**Warning: Rated M**

Author's notes: Would there be a problem if I started updating once a week instead of every few days? This chapter is still unbeta-d and I'd really like to get the chapters I've posted up to scratch and I'm thinking it'll be impossible at the rate I write up and post these chapters. Unless you guys don't mind the odd typo or grammatical error...

Thanks for the reviews for the last chapter!

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**Chapter seven**

**The government and saying goodbye to the gutters**

Naruto took Sasuke through the brothels to the police station. A few hookers had called Naruto over to them and had flung themselves at Sasuke – thankfully Sakura hadn't been there – delaying them the time it took to go to the police station the way that did not go through the red light district. Sasuke hadn't responded well to all the attention he had received, becoming withdrawn and even more silent than normal.

Naruto had rescued him though, telling them that they were on their way to the police station. That sent them running in the opposite direction.

Surprisingly, the indifference he had felt all morning was fast dissipating the closer he got to the station. He'd shook his head when Naruto had asked him if he wanted company while he waited for news, lips pressed together in a serious line as he pushed back the bubbling anxiety in the pit of his stomach. Naruto had double-checked because he looked so queasy.

There had been an awkward moment at the door where neither of them had known what to say. When you experience something like this with somebody, it was hard to see them leave your life and know you'd probably never see them again. Naruto had shifted his weight from foot to foot and Sasuke hadn't been able to look at Naruto, but they'd managed goodbyes and had gone their separate ways. Sasuke wouldn't let himself look back as he climbed the stone steps and walked into the police station.

It was a large reception area – unnecessary, Sasuke thought – with a brown and white tiled floor and wooden benches lining a wall opposite a polished desk. He walked across the tiled floor and approached the desk, looking for a person to attend him. He had to swallow rising bile and drummed his fingers on the smooth wood of the desk to feign calm. He didn't know who he was trying to fool: anybody who saw him or himself.

A portly old man bustled out of a back room and behind the desk. He looked at Sasuke short-sightedly and cleared his throat with a rumbling cough that must have loosened bucket-loads of phlegm. Sasuke's stomach turned over. _How disgusting_. He almost sneered.

"Can I help you, lad?" Sasuke had to wonder why all policemen used surly terms to address him. 'Lad', 'son', 'boy'? Why couldn't they just find out his real name or not use a name at all?

"Erm, yes, please," Sasuke replied, sounding a little flustered. Inwardly, he cursed at his lack of apathy. "My, err, house was on fire yesterday. I'm here to inquire about my family – I think they were in the house at the time." He wondered if he appeared strange, asking so calmly about the family he had possibly lost.

"Is that so? What's your name, son?" He asked, taking his glasses off and polishing them. He turned slowly to the computer.

"Uchiha Sasuke," Sasuke told him. The officer typed in his name on the database and opened up his record. He made a shushing sound through his teeth as he tapped into different areas of Sasuke's information and scrolled down to find out about his parents.

"Alright, mister Uchiha. Take a seat over there. I've got to call somebody in to go over a few things with you. They should be here in about twenty minutes. Can I getcha anything?" Sasuke shook his head, his stomach turning at the thought of having to digest something. That bun from hours ago wasn't sitting too well as it was.

He took a seat on one of the wooden benches. They were the ones that belonged in a park or in somebody's back-garden, and were incredibly uncomfortable. That fact that Sasuke was so tense didn't help much either.

Five minutes later he went to the toilet. It felt so good to use the proper facilities after he'd been forced to piss twice in public. He felt decidedly nauseous and spent five minute running cold water over his wrists and splashing his face to alleviate the queasiness. He looked in the dirty mirror at his reflection. There were rivulets of cold water running down his cheeks and dripping off the end of his nose.

He dried his face with scrunched up toilet roll and left the bathroom. There was a severe-looking woman sitting where he had been, with a briefcase occupying the rest of the bench. Sasuke eyed her with annoyance and sat down at the next bench along.

"Are you Uchiha Sasuke?" The woman asked, halting his irritation and bringing the nerves and nausea back. He nodded slowly. "Let's find a room and talk."

She stood up and led him through a door beside the desk to a long corridor. They entered the second room along and Sasuke was sat down at a small round table. The woman took a seat beside him, turning it so that her legs were pointing in his direction.

"My name is Mitarashi Anko," she said. She had a hard voice that matched her face. "I'll be dealing with the arson case on your home." Sasuke frowned, leaning forward.

"Arson?" He questioned, a flurry of panic butterflies flying through his body. He felt heavy, anchored in his seat as wave after wave of hot terror crashed inside him. He was pretty sure he was sweating.

"Yes," Anko replied, not sympathetically. "We have reason to believe that it was arson. For a fire to have built up so fast and destroyed a house that size in under an hour, we believe there was a bomb. Some neighbours reported a bang. It also explains why we weren't able to recover-" She cut off, bending down and picking up her briefcase. She set it on the table and pulled out a pile of papers.

"Recover what?" Sasuke asked numbly.

"We couldn't find your family. Everything was," she coughed, "burned to the ground. I'm sorry." She didn't sound very sincere, like any rich person. Sasuke excused it because he knew what life was like on this side. Ruthless. Selfish. Inhuman.

Sasuke swallowed. He thought there might be something lodged in his throat. "Right. So what now?"

Anko ran a finger over a few lines on the paper. "Here." She said when she located the lines, so that Sasuke could read along. "Your father stated in a will that, should anything happen to him, you and your brother Uchiha Itachi be left with his good friend Oto Orochimaru. Now, since we can't confirm that your parents were in the house at the time of the fire his guardianship will only be temporary. We ran background checks on him when he was written down as your legal guardian in the event of your parents' death or incompetence as parents.

"Phone-calls will be made to him to pick you up from here. Your parents' money will be going to him only when we can confirm that they are dead or unable to be fit parents." Sasuke nodded dazedly. He didn't even know this person, how could his father have chosen him to be his legal guardian?

Anko eyed him critically, and Sasuke could just see the weary tolerance with which she did her job. Right now she was hoping not to have to put up with a breakdown. He judged her by how she was being uncaring throughout the should-be-painful procedure. "You okay?" She asked. Sasuke nodded.

"I'm fine." Sasuke said tightly. Anko nodded sharply. She stood up and smoothed out the creases in her pencil skirt and blazer, adjusting her shirt. She pushed her hair back.

"I'll go call mister Oto. Please excuse me." Sasuke nodded again. He was starting to feel like one of the nodding dogs, head bobbing in the back of a car. He pulled the sleeves of his jumper over his hands and hunched up small. He was cold suddenly, thinking about his parents. It didn't bear thinking about them burning in their home. Itachi too. Sasuke didn't want to think right now. He focused on clearing his mind by filling it with _now_ and _Orochimaru_.

For five minutes he sat in that plain little room with his eyes trained on the dreary white walls. He grew steadily colder through lack of movement and his teeth soon begun to chatter. He almost wished there was someone around to tell him to zip up his jacket or tug his hat down to keep him warmer. This Orochimaru didn't sound like the homey type, whoever he was. Sasuke fidgeted, tugging at a hangnail. He'd taken up chewing his nails a few hours ago. The metal handle of the door twisted downwards and Anko returned, looking fussed.

"Well," she started again, resuming her seat in front of Sasuke, "Mister Oto is on his way and very grieved by your losses. He also apologises that you couldn't have met him before. He should be here in a few minutes – says he only lives a few blocks away." She smiled professionally at him, and then noticed his shivering. "Are you cold? I think I can get you a scarf and gloves."

"No, thank you. I'll be fine until Orochimaru gets here." Sasuke wasn't the biggest fan of formalities; he wasn't going to call his guardian 'mister'.

"Right, okay. Could you sign here for me?" Anko asked, sliding a sheet of paper towards him. "It's just to say you understand that mister Oto will be your guardian." She handed Sasuke a pen. He signed his name along the signature line and handed the pen and paper back to her. She smiled again, plastically.

"I'll take you back to the atrium." Up there with formalities, falsity and his father's employees were people who used stupid words, in Sasuke's hate list. He wanted Anko to say 'reception' and not 'atrium', 'said' and not 'stated'. Maybe he just wanted someone who was completely straight with him, but the little things were particularly troublesome today.

He followed Anko back down the short stretch of corridor and back into the reception. Anko gestured at a bench and he took a seat while she dealt with the rest of his papers with the officer at the desk. He caught the officer crane his neck to get a look at him when Anko explained his situation. As if he'd look less human because his home and family had been 'burned to the ground'. He felt like telling the man to take a photo because it would last longer or something equally immature. He wanted to dispel some of the building emotions before he exploded because, even though it was _his_ house that had been burned and _his_ family that may have died, it had a lot more to do with the legal business than it had to do with _him_. Naruto was right about the rich people.

Sasuke heard the click of heels on stone coming from the stone steps outside and turned his head to see if it was Oto Orochimaru. Into the reception came a bizarre-looking man with long black hair and strange purple make-up. Oto Orochimaru – the late night visitor his father had been so secretive about. He looked at Sasuke first, his eyes narrowed and a smile that looked more like a leer aimed in his direction. Sasuke stared coldly back.

"Sasuke," the man drew his name out, "how good to see you again. I only regret that it's in such a dreadful situation. I'm so sorry." Sasuke noticed that he was wearing contact lenses that turned his eyes green and his pupils into snakelike slits. _This_ was who his father saw fit to take care of him?

"Orochimaru," Sasuke acknowledged curtly. Orochimaru's leer-smile lost some of its broadness. Sasuke was glad.

"I'll go and deal with this paperwork, and then we can go home." He walked over to the desk, his hair lifting with his movement and his high-heeled boots clicking on the hard tiles. He was wearing tight black leather trousers and a loud purple shirt underneath a long overcoat. Needless to say, Sasuke was less than impressed. Even with background checks done, Anko didn't look too happy either. Sasuke could have sworn she'd stalled him at some point in the filling in of the paperwork.

Sasuke noticed Orochimaru giving him oddly penetrating looks, as though trying to pull something out of him. He felt exposed and uncomfortable. He didn't want to live with this man, based on first impressions. A tiny part of him almost wished he could live on the streets. He'd managed to talk himself out of that one: dossing down with the poor was a lot worse than any stunt this Orochimaru could pull. Sasuke would be eighteen in six months anyway, then he'd inherit his father's money. Until then, he could cope.

When Orochimaru had signed the final form and had shaken hands with Anko, he turned his full attention back to Sasuke. He gave him another leer and ushered him towards the door, slinging an arm loosely around Sasuke's shoulders. Sasuke suppressed a shudder because he didn't want to anger Orochimaru, but he did try to shrug the arm away. Orochimaru must have noticed, but he only squeezed Sasuke's shoulder with his pale hand.

He was steered towards the passenger-side front seat of a sleek black car where Orochimaru opened the door and pushed him in. Sasuke slid back into the comfortable cream leather seat and tried to relax. He exhaled through him mouth, letting his shoulders slump. He buckled his seatbelt. Orochimaru slid into the seat beside him, pushing his key into the ignition and pushing down the handbrake. With a twist of the key in the ignition, the expensive car purred into life.

"Sasuke," Orochimaru said, watching him in the mirror with his leer ever present. He put the car into first gear and pulled out of his parking space. "Has your father ever told you about me?" He sounded innocent – if only he looked it too. Sasuke didn't trust this man.

"No," he returned shortly, turning away from the reflection of his guardian to look out of the window. The car was headed in the direction of the poorer side of town. He wasn't that surprised; nothing about the man implied _real_ wealth. Anybody could have showy clothes and a fancy car if they had a shady business.

"Your father was a great friend of mine at university," Orochimaru told him, eyes moving to the road. "We were business partners when you and Itachi were very young, but we had a little fall out. I was so shocked yesterday when I was contacted about being your legal guardian. It had been agreed so long ago, when we were good friends, that I'd assumed it had been changed." Sasuke remained quiet, the question about why Orochimaru had called round before burning.

"You'll like my house. It's not as big as yours was, but it's impressive. I'll have a spare room turned into a bedroom for you." Orochimaru's hand left the gear stick to pat Sasuke's thigh. Sasuke turned sharply to glare furiously at him.

"Don't do that, please," he said icily, moving his thigh away from Orochimaru's hand. Orochimaru raised his eyebrows and withdrew his hand.

"My apologies, Sasuke." His silky voice was starting to grate on Sasuke's nerves something chronic. He allowed his glare to last a little longer before returning to watch the neighbourhoods pass by outside the car. They'd cut through some brothels, and some prostitutes had waggled their long-nailed fingers at them.

Sasuke leaned his head against the cool glass, his hair sticking up from the chasm created between his head and the glass. His eyelids drooped closed as he let his mind drift out of the car and into his old life. He didn't like to think about things that had already happened, but that created less anxiety than the present or the future. His gut twisted painfully as he thought of his mother telling her friends how proud she was of him at their New Year's party and Itachi playing pranks on their father and blaming it on their old maid.

The car drew to a smooth stop and Sasuke opened his eyes. Orochimaru had stopped on a ramp leading into an underground car-park. "I have the penthouse apartment," he explained, as if Sasuke cared. Sasuke shrugged his shoulders. The gate into the car-park opened up and Orochimaru drove into the fluorescent-strip-light lit car-park. He pulled up in a space beside the elevator.

They stood in silence in the elevator for eighteen floors. Sasuke felt increasingly uneasy in the long-haired man's presence, especially as he caught Orochimaru watching his every move in the mirror that lined the back wall of the elevator. When they reached the top floor, Orochimaru put his arm back around Sasuke's shoulder and led him to his front door.

It had been left unlocked, implying to Sasuke that Orochimaru was well-respected or even crazier than he looked. He turned the knob on the door and pushed the door open, giving Sasuke his first look at what was to be his new home for while. The furniture was minimal and the room was poorly lit. Sasuke wasn't very impressed at all, being used to the airy and bright rooms of his own home that his mother had been so proud of. He crossed his arms over his chest and bit back the shivering that threatened to return. Orochimaru squeezed his shoulder.

"You're very pale. Why don't you have a little nap in one of the spare rooms?" Sasuke nodded. Anything was better than spending time with this weird man. "You can choose one out." As if that was a treat.

"Okay," Sasuke replied monotonously. He didn't look Orochimaru in the eye.

Orochimaru showed him the three spare rooms he had ("it's a four bedroom apartment. There's a pool upstairs if you want to take a swim.") and Sasuke chose the one furthest away from the master bedroom. It was the smallest room, actually, and had a funny odour to it but he'd rather endure the smell than be next door to or opposite this stranger he was supposed to live with.

Sasuke didn't have suitcase, obviously, but he unpacked the highlander hat and the other items he'd bought at the market with Naruto and stored them away in the wardrobe. It already felt like a lifetime ago that he'd been arguing with Naruto. And he could hardly believe that the other thing had happened at all. _Maybe it really hadn't_.

He sat down heavily on the bed and fell back, crossing his arms behind his head. It was arson. There may have been a bomb. His family were very probably dead. Well, wasn't life just peachy? His eyes prickled and his throat burned. He palmed his eyes to ward off cry-baby tears. Crying would do no good – it wouldn't help him get out of here or bring his family to life, would it?

He sat up again and looked into the full-length mirror that made up the door of the wardrobe. His eyes were an angry red, the upper and lower lids ringed and puffy. Coupled with his paler-than-usual complexion and limp hair, he looked like shit. Not that he cared much about his appearance. He just didn't like to look bad. He pulled down his lower eyelid and made a face.

He wondered how he would ask Orochimaru if he could take a shower. He wasn't shy or embarrassed, he just felt kind of awkward in this new and foreign environment. He wasn't even sure where he was or what he'd be doing over the next few days. A knock at the door disturbed him.

"Come in," he called, not bothering to stand politely. It was _his_ room now, anyway. Orochimaru opened the door and smiled widely at him. His eyes drifted around the room for signs of inhabitance.

"Are you settling in, Sasuke?" he asked, his smooth voice full of concern for Sasuke's _very_ best interests. Sasuke wanted to puke. "Would you like me to get you a hot drink?" A hot drink sounded very good, actually.

"Yes, please," Sasuke replied. He steeled himself to ask the next question: "Can I have a shower? I slept a bit rough last night." He winced mentally at the huge understatement he'd just made. Orochimaru didn't know any better, though.

"Of course you can. I'll fetch you some clothes and leave them outside the bathroom for you." Sasuke opened his mouth to ask the whereabouts of the bathroom, but Orochimaru beat him to it. "It's upstairs, on your left." Sasuke nodded, feeling an ounce of gratitude for his guardian creeping – unwanted - up on him.

Sasuke stood and waited for Orochimaru to step out of the doorway. When Orochimaru didn't move, he squeezed past him. His chest and legs grazed Orochimaru. He didn't look back to check if the strange man was leering at him again, certain that his assumption was correct. He walked back out into the living room with the prickling feeling of eyes following his every move.

Upstairs in the bathroom, Sasuke found he could relax. The lock was reassuringly sturdy and the shower stall and marble bathtub were exactly the kind of homely comforts he needed. He ran the water in the shower on the hottest setting he could bear and waited for the water to heat up before peeling off his dirty clothes and stepping under the scalding waterfall. There was nothing he loved more than a hot shower when he felt like shit, seeing the dirty water swirl away down the plughole and feeling as though the hot water was burning away the filth until he was completely clean. It was like turning to a new page in a journal, or that feeling of a fresh start on New Year's Day.

He tilted his chin up and let the water soak his hair before he squirted shampoo directly onto his head from the bottle. He worked the scented gel into a lather, recognising the smell as the same brand he used at home. He didn't stop scrubbing until he was certain that no grime from sleeping on the streets remained. He couldn't shake off the feeling of being dirty off completely - it was still there caked between his legs, on his chest and on his stomach, the sticky sweat that had dried all over his body. His stomach turned over and he retched, shivering under the flow of hot water.

He washed out the remaining shampoo and quickly ran a bar of soap over the rest of him until he was passably clean, then stepped out of the shower stall. He realised now that Orochimaru hadn't given him his own towel.

There was a dark blue towel hung neatly over a towel rack in the corner of the bathroom and, as much as he was against using other people's personal items, he was not going to drip-dry. He tugged the thick blue towel off the rack and dried himself as best he could. He hoped that Orochimaru had found him some clothes. He wrapped the towel around his waist and opened the bathroom door. He almost jumped out of his skin when he found a silver-haired man holding a pile of clothes waiting for him. He gave Sasuke's chest an appreciative look and offered a knowing smile that Sasuke found hard to interpret. Sasuke glared at the new stranger.

"Who are you?" He demanded tensely, crossing his arms over his chest. The silver-haired man adjusted his glasses.

"I'm a flatmate of Orochimaru - my name is Kabuto. My deepest and most sincere apologies for startling you Sasuke, but Orochimaru thought this would be a good way for us to become acquainted. Here are your clothes. We can talk once you are dressed." Kabuto gave Sasuke another smug smile, and Sasuke glowered back, taking the folded clothes and closing the door. He didn't want to talk to Kabuto and couldn't avoid it. He hated having no control over his life anymore. He'd gone from the loner he was at home to this dependent person on alien territory.

He was slightly freaked out by the black boxers in his size because he didn't know who they belonged to, but was quite happy with the black track pants and t-shirt combo he'd been given. He couldn't deal with anything colourful. He dressed quickly and towel-dried his hair roughly, bundling up his dirty garments before exiting the bathroom.

Kabuto had taken a seat at one of the sofas that furnished the upstairs living room.

"Did you enjoy your shower?" He asked pleasantly. Sasuke nodded stiffly, not sure whether he wanted to sit down beside Kabuto or remain standing. Kabuto nodded at the space beside himself, deciding for him. Sasuke sat.

"You're not sick, are you?" Kabuto sounded concerned, adjusting his glasses again on the bridge of his nose. "I overheard you vomiting." Sasuke's eyes widened a fraction at the thought of Kabuto listening in on him. These people were creepy: he felt like some kind of specimen in a weird experiment.

"I wasn't sick," Sasuke said hurriedly.

"I can take a look at you," Kabuto offered benignly. "I'm a doctor."

"Erm, no, thanks." Sasuke felt more awkward than nervous around Kabuto. He was direct. He never took his eyes off him. Sasuke wasn't used to feeling awkward. The Uchiha men seemed to come with a barrier against it; an ability to fit in comfortably in any situation. "Listen, Kabuto, I'm tired. I'm going to go to sleep."

He realised he was being incredibly rude to his hosts. He guessed that he was just trying to assert his power in this new environment. They were probably good people – they'd taken him in, hadn't they? It was just that his instincts were sending him messages to get away from Orochimaru and he was bending to the impulses. Kabuto bade him a good sleep and he walked away without a word or a backward glance at him.

Orochimaru was sitting in the living room downstairs, counting out money. Sasuke supposed he should thank him for the clothes. Orochimaru looked up when he heard Sasuke coming down the wooden steps and smiled, pulling his long hair into his hand and twisting it over his shoulder as if he was telling Sasuke what a hassle it was. It felt as though he was trying to tell Sasuke that past his bizarre exterior, he was perfectly normal. Sasuke let himself relax, just a little bit.

"Thanks for the clothes." Orochimaru looked delighted.

"Not at all, dear boy. Are you going to have your nap?" He tried to ignore the 'dear boy'.

"Yes, Orochimaru."

"I'll get you that drink. Do you like tea?" Sasuke nodded. "I'll make you some and take it to your room." Sasuke shifted awkwardly. He wanted to say something nice, but just couldn't. Not to this man.

"I take my tea black."

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	8. An average day, Akamaru and alcohol

**Diamond in the Dirt**

**Warning: Rated M**

Author's notes: This is Kiba's chapter. Sorry it took so long, and it might not be what you expected. I hope you enjoy anyway, and thanks for the reviews you left for the last chapter. Erm, it's still unbeta-d so, erm, sorry.

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**Chapter eight**

**An average day, Akamaru and alcohol**

Kiba hadn't always been an alcoholic. Up until a year ago, he'd been on his way up in life at a fancy boarding school. It wasn't alcohol that had ruined his life either. It was the corrupt government that was responsible, once again, for the ruin of somebody's life.

Kiba's father had been jailed for fraud and Kiba, as a minor with no wealthy relatives, had been left to fend for himself on the streets. With no inheritance he had become just another poor person in the eyes of the government and was therefore not entitled to any legal aid. The streets had accepted him readily enough, though, and on his first night he'd had his first taste of the rest of his life. He'd gotten trashed.

The bliss that came with intoxication compared to nothing Kiba had ever known in his 'rich life'. All walls of inhibition were knocked down, all sadness evaporated and all problems were forgotten. It was easy to stay in that frame of mind too, if one got to know the right people. He felt so comfortable in that fuggy numbness where he could meet all kinds of people and remember none of them the next day. Drinking may have been one of the sins of the streets, but it felt a lot more like heaven than it did hell.

Naruto was one of the few people he'd actually remembered. The kid had stood out from the usual faceless shapes he socialised with. He'd made him laugh and looked after him when his drinking had taken a bad turn and he'd thrown up all night. He'd even stuck around when Kiba had woken up with a killer hangover and no 'cure'.

It was surprising how fast he'd adapted to his new life. One would think that going from studying hard in a palatial boarding school to drinking hard liqueur on a dirty pavement would require years of adaptation-time. Kiba had settled in after two weeks, adopted by the affectionately-named 'boozers'. He'd soon made some contacts and arranged free alcohol from the brothels – it was that easy.

There were downsides, obviously, such as no roof over your head when it was cold or rained or snowed. You could die at any given moment and for any reason imaginable: a stray bullet, or pneumonia, or a car crash, or a violent fight. On the streets there wasn't safety or security. The same went for friends – you could lose _them_ at any given moment too. Hunger was another major downside, constant and overpowering. These were the things alcohol couldn't cure.

Having a dog came along later. A white puppy had scampered into the boozers self-run pub one night and become a part of the crowd instantly. They'd called him the 'booze hound' at first because those stupid puns seemed so hilarious when they were so drunk they couldn't even sit up straight. His real name, Akamaru, had come later - courtesy of Kiba. His father had built a kennel at their own home and Kiba had grown fond of dogs as a result. Akamaru was a bit of home on the streets that he came to regard as his greatest treasure. He often thought to himself how accurate the title 'man's best friend' really was when Akamaru jumped all over him happily; the big white dog made him feel loved through the saddest of nights. How many people were capable of that?

Akamaru had come to serve as more than a friend. Kiba had trained him to run errands and get him a well-paid slot in the drug team. Akamaru was capable of bringing new stock into the drug faction's main store without looking suspicious. Kiba could use him to hold the drugs when he was down on the job list as a dealer for the week. Nobody got suspicious of the wagging-tailed furry white dog; they petted him and he revelled in the attention. Oh, and he should mention that Akamaru had pulled him some time with whores free-of-charge.

…

"Good boy," Kiba said through chattering teeth as he spotted his dog slink around the last shadowed corner and trot into his outstretched arms. Kiba hugged the dog around his large chest tightly, gaining a bit of warmth from the contact. He shivered. "What took you so long, buddy?" Akamaru wagged his tail slowly, like a heavy white pendulum. Kiba ruffled the fur between his ears affectionately, standing.

"Let's get out of here." He clipped a leash onto Akamaru's collar and tugged him gently in the direction of home, where there was a bottle of rum waiting.

"Not so fast. I haven't thanked you and your pet for your invaluable help." Kiba was startled, and whipped around to face the owner of the voice. He relaxed slightly when he recognised the figure.

"It's okay; you don't have to thank us." He laughed uneasily. "The pay does that." The man in the shadows smirked, showing white teeth. Kiba cleared his throat, calling Akamaru to his side. The dog sat on his foot, leaning his weight reassuringly against Kiba's leg. He began panting, his heavy tail thumping at the sight of Orochimaru.

"Oh, but I do. Your last delivery was excellent, some of the highest quality stuff that's ever made it our way intact. I even used it myself, and I haven't been tempted for years. I want to give you a raise." Kiba's eyes widened with surprise. Happiness swirled inside him.

"You do? I couldn't put you to any trouble, Orochimaru, but I'm so honoured." He was aware that he was gushing worse than a hooker, but the absence of alcohol did that to him in stressful situations. Orochimaru terrified him with blackmail, ransom and a few murders under his belt.

"I came into some new money," he was informed by the smooth voice. "My new boy came with a big inheritance for me to spend. I'm sure you'll accept a raise if I tell you that I'm feeling generous." There was an element of danger lying in his voice and Kiba swallowed, nodding. He wasn't going to insist that he didn't need a raise. He wasn't an idiot.

"Well then. Thank you very much." Kiba tipped the peak of an imaginary hat, a habit he'd picked up from Naruto. Orochimaru looked amused.

"Come to my home at nine PM on Friday to collect your money. I'll throw in an extra hundred ryo if you're on time." The corners of Orochimaru's mouth quirked up sharply as he bared his teeth. Akamaru leaned more heavily against Kiba's leg, a whine building in his throat. Kiba swallowed again.

"I'll be there." Friday was four days away; he could steel himself before then.

* * *

Naruto saw Kiba, slumped on the floor with his arm lying straight across Akamaru's back like the dog was an armrest. He grinned to himself happily and threw himself right down next to him. Akamaru barked a friendly greeting. Kiba's eyes cracked open, bloodshot and unfocussed. He giggled when Naruto put his face right up close.

"Stop tha'!" He laughed, clumsily planting a hand on Naruto's neck and pushing him away. Naruto wrinkled his nose.

"You reek of booze, Kiba. How much have you had?" He asked. Kiba felt around for the bottle of rum, his fingers groping as he searched blindly for it. He felt cold glass and curled his fingers around it, hoping it was the neck of the bottle. There was only an eighth left, and Naruto raised his eyebrows superiorly, sighing.

"Shu' up. I did na drink all thish by myself," Kiba slurred, putting the bottle to his lips and throwing his head back. He offered the final dregs to Naruto, wiping his mouth on his sleeve. Even though it was mainly backwash, Naruto accepted. He'd had worse before and today hadn't been that great.

"I gave Sasuke to the police station," Naruto said to Kiba, setting down the bottle. Kiba was to drunk to comment sensibly and wouldn't remember who Sasuke was but he didn't care. He wanted to talk.

"Did you?" Kiba asked, trying to focus on Naruto and act interested. Naruto could guess what was running through his mind: _Right now, I have to act sober. _He smiled and Kiba laughed loudly. "Who'sh Sasu-" Kiba stopped to burp, "Sasuke?" Drunk people looked so terrible, Naruto thought to himself. He hoped he didn't look quite so bad on the odd occasion he indulged in alcoholic drinks.

"The boy I looked after last night. The Uchiha." Kiba frowned and then nodded. Naruto could tell he couldn't really remember.

"That'sh good. You don't want the rich kid sticking with you like a - whassit? – limpet." Kiba giggled stupidly at the word, repeating it under his breath. "Hish family is dead. That's sad." He sobered for a second: "poor Sasuke."

"Do you ever miss your old life?"

Kiba thought about it, treading slowly through the pros and cons of his old and new life. He didn't miss his big house or his father anymore, but that made him feel guilty. He didn't always like being drunk all the time. "I didn't like being rich as much as I thought I did. This is good. Thish is better for me." His slur disappeared, just for a little while. Naruto was slightly reassured but he still felt worried about Sasuke.

"I can't believe you got trashed without me, Kiba!" Naruto said, giving his friend a light sock to the shoulder. Kiba lost his balance and toppled onto Akamaru, who yelped and ran away from his master. Naruto laughed loudly as Kiba swore and tried to get back up. Not an easy feat when he was so sloshed. In the end, he simply let himself fall on the floor and laugh. Akamaru padded over to swipe his tongue repetitively over Kiba's face in an attempt to 'wake' him.

"Gross, Kiba. Totally gross." Kiba decided to stick his tongue out for a laugh and then grimaced horribly when his tongue was licked by Akamaru's. Naruto looked shocked, pushing Akamaru away. "You just, kinda, made out with your dog." Not really, but it was still gross. He helped Kiba into an upright position. Kiba looked equally shocked as he wiped his tongue with his wrists.

"That'sh really gross," he agreed, crossing his eyes as he tried to inspect his tongue for dog-saliva evidence. He started giggling again, calling Akamaru over to him. Akamaru walked over to them with a happy whine and planted his big paws on Kiba's chest. "You gay mutt. Look at choo, all white and camp like a princesh." He gave Akamaru a clumsy thump on the flank.

"I'm getting a raise, Naruto," Kiba told him, clasping his forearm. His eyes rolled back into his head as he tried to remember the story that went with his statement. Naruto waited expectantly. "Orochimoch- no - Orochimaru. He came to see me and gave me a raise. He has a new 'boy'. Whass that mean, anyway? He has money to burn and wants to give me a raise." Kiba grinned stupidly. "I have to go to Orochimaru's house to pick it up on Friday. The Big O's_ home_. Am I going to die?" He shivered, the cold finally getting to him through the alcoholic numbness. He rested his cheek sleepily on Naruto's shoulder.

"Have you pissed him off?" Naruto asked him, raising his eyebrows questioningly even though Kiba couldn't see his face.

"I don't think sho. 'kamaru does mosht of the work. Maybe _he's_ pissed him off. Stupid mutt." Kiba hooked a finger around Akamaru's collar and tugged his dog close, embracing him. His eyelids drooped closed. "Will you look out for me, Naru? Shomeone might try to steal my thingsh, and then I'll be poor. Haha."

"Don't worry, I've got nowhere to go." Naruto shifted so that Kiba would be more comfortable.

"You're shuch a good frien' Naruto. One day somefing good will happen." Kiba hiccoughed tiredly and exhaled loudly, settling down to sleep.

Trying to fall asleep when he was drunk was always an interesting experience; sometimes he got sick, other times he felt as if he was flying. Today he was having a good time and was flying, Naruto's presence beside him providing a warmth that was splendid for falling into unconsciousness. Before he fell asleep completely, he remembered to ask: "what should we do about Shizune's hooker?"

* * *

On Friday at eight-forty-seven PM, Kiba was sufficiently tipsy enough to manage an encounter with Orochimaru. He'd been drinking somewhere close to Orochimaru's home so that he would be on time to claim his one hundred ryo bonus if he decided to go. At eight-fifty-three, he and Akamaru were in the elevator at the back entrance of the building. Akamaru did not enjoy the lift at all, and spent the entire lift up cowering in the corner with his tail between his legs. Kiba had laughed at him the whole way up, drunk enough that inhibitions weren't a problem.

Orochimaru was clearly rolling in the money; the last time Kiba had been to his home (a party) it had been in a rundown old house. That made Kiba more nervous as he stepped out of the lift and knocked on a polished wooden door. After about fifteen seconds, Kabuto answered. He looked at Kiba for a long time before smiling welcomingly.

"Please, come in." There was somebody else in the apartment. He had black hair and dark eyes and very pale skin. He barely glanced at Kiba, and Kiba guessed that he was an old hand in the drug business – a partner of Orochimaru's. Kabuto told him to take a seat, shooting a disgusted look at Akamaru that Kiba didn't miss but tried to ignore. He wasn't going to push his luck in a dangerous situation. He sat down, Akamaru at his feet.

The dark boy kept shooting him looks over his book. He made Kiba nervous, but there was something familiar about him. Kiba let his eyes drift over to him, trying to place the familiarity. The boy noticed.

"What are you looking at?" He asked, rather more savagely than was necessary. Kiba held up his had peaceably.

"Nothing at all," he replied innocently, convincing his mouth not to add anything stupid. Akamaru growled at the boy for taking such a harsh tone to his master. The boy glared at the dog, as if it could understand expressions. Orochimaru came down the stairs, smiling pleasantly.

"I'm glad you could make it on time," he said to Kiba, extracting a hundred ryo bill from his pocket and holding out to Kiba. Kiba stood up and walked to claim it. Orochimaru's eyes slid to the other person and narrowed. His voice was hard when he spoke. "Please go to your room, Sasuke. I have some business to sort out." Kiba placed him with some degree of shock. _That couldn't be Uchiha Sasuke, could it?_

Sasuke glared sullenly at Orochimaru but stood and left the room obediently. Kiba stared after him.

"I'm sorry," Orochimaru said cordially, gesturing at the sofa for Kiba to take a seat. "He's a bit new with the ins and outs of my business. If he was rude to you I offer my deepest apologies." Kiba felt awkward, not used to such a high degree of politeness from a person of higher status to him.

"That's okay."

"Good. Now, I owe you a raise, don't I?" Kiba nodded. "And I will give you a raise. I just want you to do one more job for me before I give it to you. Will you do that?" Again, there was that element of threat. Kabuto was standing in front of the door.

"Erm, sure, we can do that." By 'we' he meant Akamaru and himself. They worked as a unit.

"Good," Orochimaru drew out the vowels of the word. "The ketamine you got last time - I need you to get more of it. Can you do that? I'm going to leave all the negotiating and dealing to you, and I want it for next week." Kiba felt an icy lump of fear hit the bottom of his stomach.

"Negotiating and dealing? I'm not sure I know what to do. I work with transporting and the occasional sell, not negotiation and dealing." Kiba tried not to sound panicky, but it was hard work.

"You'll do fine," Orochimaru told him smoothly in a voice that almost convinced him. "I'm sure you have some friends who could help you."

Kiba was trapped. He and everyone else in the room knew it. What more could he do but nod and agree? There was always a catch when it came to dodgy dealings; why had he been so stupid? The raise really shouldn't have lured him. He should have seen the extra hundred ryo as extra _bait_. He'd been an idiot.

Akamaru sensed his distress and whined and Kiba placed his hand on the dog's head to silence him. Orochimaru and Kabuto were watching him carefully, waiting for his reply. He was terrified to say 'yes' – they had Uchiha _fucking_ Sasuke living with them. What the hell did that mean? He couldn't say no either. What a stupid situation he'd put his stupid self into. Talk about shooting yourself in the foot.

"I guess I can do it." His voice sounded rusty. Orochimaru's sinister smirk grew wider.

"There'll be a huge bonus for you here next week. Friday at nine o'clock. Please bring the K," he sounded perfectly friendly, but Kiba could hear the 'if you don't' clearly. He would need to drink _four_ bottles of vodka to get over this, and that would mean alcohol poisoning and hopefully death. If it didn't kill him, he'd throw in some pills too. _Why_ did he come here? He was so stupid and probably masochistic. If it wasn't happening to him, he would have said he deserved it.

* * *

If he'd been the sobbing type, Kiba would have been crying. No. Erase that. If he'd been drunk, he would've been crying as he told Naruto about the mess he'd gotten himself into. They were together, all the same age, like normal teenagers at an arcade: Naruto, Kiba and Gaara. Kiba was minus his dog and bottle today. Akamaru was waiting for him to come home at a finally-available lodging house under the unwatchful eyes of the other boozers that sometimes called each other family.

"I'm so screwed," Kiba whined, palming his face viciously. Naruto stared at his display of horror with surprise; Kiba didn't _ever_ lose it. "He did this because he wants me fucked over. I've fucked up somewhere and he's making me pay."

"I prefer you when you're full of alcohol and smell flammable," Gaara commented idly, spinning on one of the arcade game stools to start playing his game. Kiba ignored him.

"Naruto, he's got your guy with him. Uchiha Sasuke. At least, I thought it was him." He looked desperately at Naruto, hoping that having Sasuke with Orochimaru would rope the blond into helping him out. Naruto's eyes shot open wide and he looked worried.

"Are you sure?"

"Not one hundred percent – I was tipsy and I only heard his name and saw him for a little while. But it could be him. He shouldn't be around those people! Orochimaru said he had an 'inheritance' to blow, didn't he? Didn't I tell you that?" Kiba grabbed the fabric of Naruto's t-shirt at his chest and shook it. He'd really lost the plot. Naruto dislodged him.

"It's not attractive to hear you babble in terror. You're not half as impressive sober as you are drunk." Gaara didn't make any useful contributions to discussions until the person in need of help had been reduced to a desperate wreck. He gained sadistic satisfaction from watching the desperation grow, and then only helped out to see them struggle to carry out his ideas. Fun.

Kiba shot him an angry look before burying his face in his hands. "I don't think it's Uchiha Sasuke. He said he didn't have any people to go to, and what would somebody like him have to do with Orochimaru?" He sounded as though he was trying to convince somebody. Kiba groaned.

"This is supposed to be about me," he moaned, raising his head. Naruto looked guilty and apologised. Gaara began slamming on the buttons of the machines loudly, receiving glares from Naruto and Kiba for interrupting the discussion of Kiba's predicament. Gaara narrowed his eyes and pressed a red button over and over to kill a ninja, dead to his friends.

Naruto slung a friendly arm around Kiba's shoulder, leaning towards him. He smiled a smile so wide his eyes crinkled closed. Kiba worried. "You'll be okay. We'll help you out; you know I have contacts in every area of this city. A ketamine supplier can't be that hard to find, right? What type of drug is it?"

"It's a tranquiliser of some sort. I think it's an animal one." Kiba scratched his head in thought, forehead wrinkling as he wracked his brains.

"That's easy then. We'll hire somebody to break into a vet." Naruto smiled because it was so simple. Kiba shoved him away and he fell off his gaming stool, knocking Gaara in the process. Game Over flashed onto the screen. Naruto and Kiba winced and smiled apologetically at the redhead.

"I'm not lending you the money to hire somebody," Gaara said coldly, revenge for the game he'd lost. Kiba's face fell.

"You can't do that! It wasn't my fault. It was Naruto. You can't do this to me. I could die!" He shook Gaara by the collar of his t-shirt frantically, trying to convey his urgency. Gaara gave him the routine death-stare, grabbing Kiba's wrists and wrenching his grabbing hands away forcefully.

"I don't care." He was _really _sore about the game he'd lost. "Deal with it yourself. Naruto's given you an idea, hasn't he?"

* * *


	9. When I sense that somethings amiss

**Diamond in the Dirt**

**Warning: Rated M**

Author's notes: Sorry this is a little late. I had a very hectic week and then weekend. Erm, this chapter didn't turn out as well as I would have liked but here it is none the less. The next two chapters will be a lot better. Oh yes, and thank you for last chapter's reviews. Much appreciated :)

* * *

**Chapter nine**

**When I sense that something's amiss **

Watching Sasuke walk up the stairs and into the police station was something difficult. It didn't feel real. More like a dream. There was just a wave his instincts were tuning into that said that he was doing something wrong. There was that air of finality suffocating him; that gut feeling that always knew exactly what to do. He knew he had, perhaps, a quality for sensing things.

People called him impulsive because he was so nice to everyone; because he could always empathise; because he was always so in tune with the people he met. Someone, once, had said he had the power to change others because of the way he was. As close to the simplicity of raw emotions a human could be.

His hairs stood on end with the urge to go after Sasuke and pull him back out. To tell him to stay on the streets a while longer. He had to tense his muscles to tell his body that it was _not_ moving. He watched his back as he walked away, stock still and hoping he'd turn around. Which was just crazy, because what could possibly happen to him once he was back amongst his kind of people?

When the wooden door of the police station closed behind Sasuke he let himself walk away, but not without a few backward glances. He had asked if Sasuke had wanted him to come along, right? And Sasuke had said 'no', correct? It was fine. He was fine. Sasuke would be fine. He'd done what he could to help. Drop it and leave it alone.

He idled a while anyway, hanging around on the streets around the police station in case Sasuke changed his mind or was tossed out because he was now 'poor'. After a half-hour it became apparent that Sasuke was not coming back and that he was now safely back amidst the rich with a familiar face to help him through his grief. That was good for him.

He thought about doubling right back to the station to see him off to his new home but Sasuke probably wouldn't want that. He wasn't sure he really wanted it either, to see Sasuke go back to the shallow life of the rich. He was kind of a good guy.

Instead of going back, he went off further back into the more familiar and safer streets. He felt a headache coming on and hated the crawling feeling he was getting the more he tried to forget about Sasuke. Stupid.

…

At about eleven-thirty, the clouds opened suddenly to show frosty blue skies that put everybody in a good mood. The streets were packed with chattering people and the weak rays of poor heat that came from the white sun even had some families playing in the parks. It was such a strange thing, weather. People did the strangest things because of it. Naruto didn't see why playing tag in a freezing park when it was cloudy was any different to playing in a freezing park with a shitty piece of blue sky showing. There were more grey clouds on the horizon anyway. It didn't mean spring was on its way.

Naruto leaned against the railing that surrounded the park with the playing children and watched them sourly. They were cute little children, tottering around in thick coats. Naruto didn't begrudge them for having fun in the wintry sun; he was just in a bad mood because of Sasuke. Why couldn't he shake of the worry? It was completely unreasonable. His senses must have gone haywire through lack of sleep.

He rubbed his face unconsciously. It was greasy and stiff with fatigue, making him wince somewhat. He leaned a bit more heavily on the metal railing, setting his feet a pace further back to get comfortable.

A kid ran in his direction to get away from her little friend who was 'it'. Naruto gave her a feeble smile that made her laugh. She was cute, with her hair in childish bunches and a pink duffel coat. Naruto glanced upwards to find her parents; certain they'd be worried about her talking to him. That was what rich people thought of people like him. They were paedophiles, right?

"Mai, dear, get away from there! Come closer to mommy and daddy." The girl hesitated, and then toddled closer to Naruto. She offered him a hand over the railing.

_Oh no_. Naruto looked over at Mai's parents, trying to convey that he was no weirdo and that their daughter was safe. He looked down almost fearfully at the little girl.

"Go on, go to your parents." He ushered her away with a hand movement. Her father was making his way over quickly. Mai looked up in confusion at him as he stepped away from her to show clearly that he meant absolutely no harm. Mai protested loudly when her father grabbed her under her arms and lifted her away, carrying her back to her mother and friend. Naruto decided to skedaddle before bad happened.

He walked down the pathway out of the park wearily. He was sick of the richer people thinking badly of him. Why was it so hard for them to see the good in others? Not everybody was a thief, drug abuser, prostitute or alcoholic. And not all rich people were angels, too. Normally he couldn't care less about who thought what about him but there had to come a time, eventually, when it just wore him down.

Maybe, he pondered, other people had the same instincts of judgement he had and saw a 'wrong' in him that he was blind to.

A rush of searing heat climbed from the bottom of his stomach to his chest, making his neck itch uncomfortably on the inside. He scratched it absently, knowing that it wouldn't relieve the itch. _Sasuke, what's happening?_ He agonised internally, tugging at his shirt collar in an attempt to cool down. He was sweating. He touched his forehead worriedly, retracting it when he felt his forehead burning beneath his ice-cold fingers, wet.

He stopped; took a moment to cool down. The heat had lowered to a quiet simmering in the pit of his stomach already, but he was all too aware of it. He let himself slide down to the floor, uncaring of the strange stares he was probably getting. He was back on the streets again, after all, the park a short distance back. He drew his knees up to chest, hugging them tightly and bowing his head. With the heat an incapacitating dizziness had come. It was making his skin prickle in instinctual panic, the inability to pay attention to his surroundings and protect himself. He closed his eyes to the terror, knowing his brain would be able to coax his body into stillness.

"Are you okay?" a concerned voice broke into the darkness. Naruto's eyes snapped open, the heat climbing again. He lifted his head with some difficulty, surprised to see the father from the park, his wife and the two children standing behind him. He blinked at them.

"We're sorry if we offended you before," the wife apologised, looking ashamed. Mai smiled widely at him, and he noticed that she had two teeth missing. He smiled back at her without thinking about it.

"It's really not a problem. I wasn't offended at all," Naruto told them. Inside though, he felt the monster he was blind to disappear back into the shadows of his unconscious, taking the dizziness with it and splashing cold water over the heat. He felt better, much better. "You wanted to protect your children, I get it." And he meant it, too.

…

"Hey, mister, you got anything for us?"

Wasn't it funny how everything was interlinked? His instincts slowed down his body and then his brain; he could barely cope with the brats. It was growing dark already – night time? When had the day gone by? – and they were gathering blankets for the night as they always did. They went through more blankets than was believable, always begging for more. Naruto didn't know what they did with them. He'd never been a brat.

"Mister!" The brat shouted, stamping his foot. He was very funny-looking, with tufty brown hair and gaps in his teeth. _Ugly. A real brat_. He needed to wipe his nose.

"I'm not giving you my blanket," Naruto told him somewhat dazedly. "What do you do with them all? I gave you one a few days ago." The kid looked affronted, planting his hands on his hips. He sucked in a lungful of air, opening his mouth as if he was about to bellow at the top of his voice. He looked like a toad.

"Listen mister! You don't sleep in that pongy ol' house with stupid little bed-wetters who shit themselves! Don't ask dumb questions and gimme your poxy blanket!" Naruto almost winced at the stupid child's speech. He'd obviously been on the streets from a very young age because his accent was terrible. He didn't make an awful lot of sense either, as thick as a plank. Naruto wrinkled his nose as his sluggish brain tried to make sense of what the kid had said. The blankets were always soiled. The boy thought he was an idiot for not knowing it. The boy wanted his blanket.

"What's your name, kid? I've seen you around."

"My name's Konohamaru," he made a face and puffed out his chest proudly. "My grandfather was a legend around here and he said I was gunna be great!" Naruto raised his eyebrows at the dim kid Konohamaru, humouring him.

"Who's your grandpa?" Konohamaru made punching movements, spinning around to fight off invisible opponents. Naruto waited patiently for a reply.

"Sa-ru-to-bi!" He punched the air with each syllable, and then looked expectantly at Naruto. Naruto was a surprised, stunned into silence. Sarutobi was the one who – "He got that stupid ol' Orochimaru good. Beat that ol' snaky bastard!" Konohamaru had mistaken his silence for elaboration on the name. Naruto nodded.

"I know."

"He died! He was killed!" Konohamaru told him, unnecessarily. Naruto nodded again.

"I _know_." Everybody knew. Not long after the old man had gotten one up on Orochimaru he'd been killed by Orochimaru's guys. Turned out he wasn't as impressive as people had thought. Konohamaru was now dancing around and eager to boast more. Naruto guessed he was one of the older brats and was at the age where having an older contact was beyond amazing.

"I seen you around too," Konohamaru announced, bouncing on his feet and nodding his head. "I seen you with the black-hair boy. You were so queer!" He said this loudly, pleased he could insult somebody age-superior to him. "You were hugging and kissing him!" God, what an annoying brat. Naruto clenched his fist.

"Yeah, that's me! Queer as you like. That was my boyfriend." Konohamaru jumped away from him stupidly.

"Eww!" Konohamaru recoiled, lip curling with disgust. "You're gay! Don't touch me!" Naruto rolled his eyes, running a hand through his hair with a heavy sigh. "I'll catch your gay germs!"

"Fuck off, kid. You're annoying me." Konohamaru stuck his tongue out at him but didn't move. Naruto made a shooing gesture at him. "Go on. Scram."

"What's your name?" Konohamaru asked him, ignoring his dismissal entirely.

"Naruto, and pleased to fucking meet you. Now, please buzz off so I can sleep." Naruto turned away from Konohamaru and lay down to sleep. It was quiet for a long time and Naruto thought the brat had gone, but then something tugged at his blanket. Naruto sat up furiously.

"You little fucker! You waited for me to sleep so you could _steal_ my fucking blanket? Do you have _any_ shame?" Konohamaru looked terrified at first, but soon regained his cocky demeanour. He picked his nose and rolled his eyes at Naruto.

"I'm not scared of ya!" He said loudly and seriously, punching a fist in the air like a retard. Naruto almost throttled him for being so persistent in his determination to irritate him. He hated the streets brats and it didn't help that his instinctual upset was niggling at him all the while he tried to deal with Konohamaru. Stupid, stupid, stupid. He growled under his breath.

"Why are you hanging around? You've got a lodging house, haven't you? Wouldn't you rather be there?" Naruto pinched his nose and begged for calm.

Konohamaru shook his head firmly. "No!" that annoying voice again, then: "they're kicking us out of the lodging houses. The police. They've stuck loadsa us in the orph'nage." He sniffed; mouth set in a line of adamant I'm-not-going-anywhere. Naruto raised his eyebrows. "And I ain't going in no crummy orphanage."

"I see. Well, you'll just have to go somewhere else then, won't you?" Konohamaru jammed his thumb into his mouth, frowning.

"Can't I stay here?"

"Will you be my boyfriend?"

"No!"

"Go away then." Naruto leaned towards the boy and delivered a hard flick to his forehead. A red welt appeared immediately and Konohamaru protested loudly, holding his forehead with his two hands, eyes filling with tears of pain. He frowned a watery frown, then flipped Naruto the bird and walked away. Naruto heaved a sigh of relief. A small part of him felt bad for turning the poor boy away – his soft part. He could understand the boy's need to cling to somebody older at a time when all of his friends were being thrown into the prison-like orphanages. If he hadn't had Jiraiya to look after him, he would've done the same.

He curled up, the biting cold finally getting to him, and closed his eyes. He was very aware of how much the icy air was burning the tender skin of his ears at first, but as he sunk into sleep in a practiced way, the feeling gradually subsided into a numb nudging at the corner of his conscious. He pulled the blanket up to his chin and his lips parted to let out a soft snore.

It wasn't easy, sleeping on the streets, but it was something one learned to do. He was lucky that he was so exhausted by the days events and the overwhelming feelings he'd been getting all day.

It was worrying new knowledge, that the police were putting the kids away and lodging houses were becoming scarce. That was worrying because it could mean that the poor were being taken off the streets and shoved elsewhere – like prisons or something much more terrifying. He was getting an interesting feeling twisting in his gut as his mind combed out the information to decide on a course of according action.

After a while his deeper thoughts floated up to a shallower and more dreamlike level, and he was asleep. He shivered a little in the cold night, curling up tighter and covering his cold nose with his hand but did not awake once for a change. Sleep was normally fitful with many holes in it.

He dreamt – or thought – of Sasuke as he slept. The night spent awake watching over him. Stroking his hair like he was his parent or something. Getting him breakfast in the morning. He was chastising himself for leaving Sasuke in the hands of the government that was doing away with poverty mercilessly; rounding up people like they were stray dogs and throwing them in prisons or orphanages because they were 'visually polluting'. He felt that he'd made a mistake deep within his soul.

Should he have done that? Because Sasuke was rich, it had seemed like the right thing to do. His _mind_ told him that it was the right thing. That it was better than living on the streets. He reasoned that Sasuke was rich and would have a rich contact willing to take him in. That with an inheritance the government would deal with him favourably because they were servile to their fellow rich persons. Everything else, though, was telling him he should've looked after Sasuke for a while until _he_ had found a suitable home for him. He didn't trust the legal system to check out his new home.

…

Stupid.

He was stupid as he watched Sasuke slowly climb the grey-white marble stairs to the police station. He was watching his back and hoping he would change his mind and stay with him. Naruto didn't even _want_ him around – it was so stupid. It made no sense.

Since when did instinct ever make sense? They were impulsive and reflexive, passive and irrational. He reasoned with himself that he was not being stupid intentionally. He was still stupid, of course, just a little less stupid than he'd first judged. Sasuke wasn't going to turn around. He walked stiffly, which suggested to Naruto the he was doing it purposely; forcing himself to keep climbing. There was the finality.

Since stupidity was the cause for everything, it was stupidity that kept him waiting around afterwards too. Any other street person would have washed their hands of him the second his foot hit that first step, if not sooner. Or held him ransom. Whichever. They wouldn't have had book-smarts (Naruto was sure he didn't have much of that, either) but they'd lost the stupidity of mercy and kindness. In essence, they were predators – hunt or be hunted. He knew all this – it was as much a part of him as it was any other street person – but he was an idiot.

He hung around for half-a-fucking-hour to make sure his 'prey' was certain of his decision. Jeez. An idiot.

Stupid.

…

Naruto tilted his head back, exposing his neck with an expression akin to agony on his face. The bum sitting a metre or so along beside him turned with dreary curiosity when he groaned loudly, raising his eyebrows a fraction. He'd learnt over time how to interpret every expression and he knew Naruto had been stupid. His moan and expression said everything: he'd given something away without thinking.

'What an idiot' passed through his mind as he turned away to watch the movement of the street. The whelp obviously had a lot more to learn.


	10. Brothels, boredom and black tea

**Diamond in the Dirt**

**Warning: Rated M**

Author's notes: Thanks for the reviews - I'm sure you all know how inspiring they are. Please continue to let me know what you think, what you think can be improved, etc. I always reply to reviews so if you want to say absolutely anything just go on ahead.

* * *

**Chapter ten**

**Brothels, boredom and black tea**

Sasuke's pupils followed an imperfection on his white ceiling. Somebody had missed a spot when painting it and a tiny slither of off-white shone through the professional egg-white. It intrigued him a lot more than was necessary – or normal – but Sasuke had been housebound for the two weeks he'd been living with Orochimaru. He'd been removed from his school, wasn't allowed out to walk around unless he was with Kabuto (he'd rather not go at all than have company) and the only thing he could do in this empty penthouse apartment was sleep and wander between his room and the sitting room.

He was so bored he could not grieve. He'd woken up a few times in the silence of early dawn with tears drying uncomfortably on his cheeks and under his eyes, but consciously he hadn't even thought about his parents besides the instinctual pang of longing for familiarity and miniscule nugget of realisation that they were never coming back.

There was a quiet knock on his closed door, and he slid his legs off of the bed and sat up, his eyes sliding slowly away from the ceiling and to the door. "Come in." He said flatly. He watched the handle turn to point downwards and the door open.

"Sasuke, you haven't eaten much for weeks," Orochimaru sounded sincere. "Are you sure you can't eat?" Orochimaru walked the few steps over to him, encircling Sasuke's wrist with his long fingers. Sasuke flinched slightly, electricity shooting up his arm. Alarm signal. Orochimaru released his wrist solemnly. "You're a bag of bones."

Sasuke had heard Orochimaru dealing with business associates and his underlings, and he never sounded as sincere as he did now. He was a big phoney, as fake as plastic. His silky-smooth voice had disappeared. Sasuke believed he had something to hide.

"I'm not hungry." Orochimaru sighed worriedly and leered. He was incapable of forming a smile. He'd managed his voice pretty well, but his smirks and looks gave him away. Sasuke narrowed his eyes at his guardian viciously. "I'll make you some of the tea you like, Sasuke."

He left the room, long hair swishing as he walked away. He was wearing ridiculous high heels. Sasuke didn't dismiss the theory that this man had tendencies towards cross-dressing. The fact that Kabuto lived with him didn't do much to defend him either, although Sasuke could never imagine Orochimaru as 'the woman'.

Sasuke slid slowly back onto the bed, drawing his legs up onto the mattress and lying back to stare at the ceiling some more. He'd asked if he could go back to school once in a moment he could only think of now as insanity. He made a point to make as little communication with Orochimaru as possible. Orochimaru hadn't quite managed to keep the danger out of his voice that time as he'd narrowed his eyes and replied that it wouldn't be possible. That he'd be going to a new school soon and not to think too much about it.

The worst thing was that he had to wear Orochimaru's clothes. Plain ones – thank goodness – but Orochimaru's clothes all the same. His clothes, the ones he had been wearing the day of the fire, were the only clothes he had and although Orochimaru kept promising to take him shopping, he had yet to actually do so. Sasuke didn't understand why it was taking so long. The man was always at home and was not always busy. Sasuke glared at the fabric of his track pants, picking at them angrily. They felt all wrong. Unfamiliar and made his skin crawl.

Orochimaru returned with the tea in his hand. Sasuke did not miss Orochimaru's eyes running up his legs and along his stomach and chest. His top, a wife beater, was incredibly inappropriate and exposed a slice of his stomach every time he _moved_. Sasuke glared at him pointedly, but his outrage was lost on Orochimaru. He couldn't scare this man. He'd never been as intimidating as Itachi or his father.

"Here you go, dear," the name Orochimaru had taken to calling him made his hair stand on end and blood curdle. Sasuke forced himself not to shudder as a wave of nausea crashed over him. Sasuke accepted the mug from Orochimaru. "You can't live on black tea, Sasuke. Why don't you have a little milk or sugar?"

"No, thank you." Sasuke stated firmly, turning away from his guardian in an obvious dismissal. Sasuke wondered sometimes if he was, on a primal level, starving himself to death. He was, after all, still trying to work out why his father had left him with this man.

Living here reminded Sasuke of going to the zoo when he was about six years old. He'd been excited to see the lions and had clamoured for them all day. When Itachi had pointed them out to him, he'd been so disappointed. He had expected majestic, roaring beasts - proud lions and loyal lionesses. Instead he got a scabby, miserable, underfed lion with a limp mane and sleepy eyes. You couldn't cage something that should be free.

He felt like the lion, caged and unhappy. He wasn't going without food intentionally; he simply had no appetite. He knew it wasn't the grief either, because surely he would at least _feel_ hungry by now. It was the captivity that was sucking the life – or will to live – out of him.

He blew at the steam spiralling slowly from the surface of the dark tea. It was still too hot to drink but he sipped anyway, barely flickering when the hot liquid burnt his lips. His eyes watered automatically, but he wasn't mentally aware of the pain. He rested his hand on his stomach and noted dimly that his stomach was incredibly hollowed out. He ran his fingers up to his ribcage and then his pelvic bones, learning that he was indeed a 'bag of bones'. Even his already-prominent cheekbones stuck out more than usual, making his eyes appear sunken. He flipped back over onto his other side, careful not to spill the tea. He glanced in the mirror, glaring at his reflection as if it was its fault that he was so hideously thin.

He sipped again, stupidly, and burnt his tongue and lips. He scrunched up his face in pain this time, sticking out his tongue in the vain hope that the air would cool away the burning pain. He wasn't very surprised to feel a few tears running down the side of his face either. He pretended that he was grieving as he wiped them away with the knuckles of his index fingers.

"Mother," he whispered brokenly, acting out anguish to his reflection, "father. Itachi." He felt ridiculous and turned his despairing expression into a scowl.

He was finding himself a very fickle and loathsome person nowadays. Somewhat frightening though it was, as each day passed he hated his own company more and more. Sasuke had always been confident and comfortable in himself up to the point of arrogance – discovering that he was not the superior person he had always thought he was disturbed him. Sure, he'd never been particularly sanguine, but he'd never been as cynical as he was now. The world could do no right anymore.

He closed his eyes despondently, blindly moving his arm to set the tea down on his bedside table. The jerky movement caused the hot tea to spill onto his wrist and trickle down his arm. He muttered an irritated curse but did not open his eyes. He could sleep for a little while; his eyes felt tired behind his closed lids.

* * *

Naruto told Kiba he would deal with the ugly slut they had promised to do something about for Shizune. He was volunteering because he hadn't got laid for a while since he'd been avoiding Sakura, and figured that it wouldn't be too bad to sleep with someone ugly if he was desperate. Or so he hoped. He was more afraid that their deadline was coming into sight and he didn't want to get on the wrong side of Orochimaru. Poor Kiba had suffered to get the ketamine for Orochimaru.

He'd done the whole cliché gulp (for show) outside the brothel as he'd conversed briefly with the concierge at the door. She'd laughed vacantly and Naruto guessed she had no idea who he was talking about. The concierge was usually the thickest but most beautiful failed hooker the brothel had to offer. Heh, there was a place for everybody in _this_ world. She'd taken him to Shizune.

Shizune had shoved a petite girl in his direction, excusing herself with something that sounded like 'fellatio'. She was quite wordy, Shizune was. Hinata, the other slut, was not. No wonder she had yet to do business. She was terrified and had gone completely mute. Naruto smiled sympathetically at her, heaving a mental sigh. No sex tonight. And she was cute. Do-able.

"C'mon, we'll go somewhere else. These places can be quite… intimidating." Naruto extended a hand out to her. "For the first time." He smiled openly, trying to put her at ease. She didn't look any better and flinched at his hand. He retracted it.

Her head was bent so that her hair curtained off the sides of her face. Naruto waited for her to summon the courage to look at him. It took a long minute or so, but her eyes flicked up to look at him. They were moist with tears of fear and they quickly flicked back down when she saw he was still looking at her. He leant forward swiftly to whisper in her ear. She tensed immediately in alarm.

"I'm gonna get you out of here, Hinata. Trust me." He whispered, making sure his face portrayed that he had some crude intentions in mind. Hinata still didn't relax, but her eyes darted quickly to him, surprised. "Take my hand and I'll lead you out. Look as if you're comfortable with me." Hinata gave the tiniest of nods and he took her hand, gently.

Nobody batted an eye at them as they left.

Naruto led Hinata down the street past that district's pleasure houses and brothels and zigzagged along a few side roads. Hinata's hand was sweaty in his, showing her fear had returned in its entirety, and she was shivering violently in the revealing garb the hookers had kitted her out in. It was clear that she was not a part of the poverty scene. With her porcelain skin and almost blue hair, she looked like a princess in rags. Naruto wondered what her story was.

He knew there were a few lodging houses that had survived the police searches around here. They were almost worthless, derelict and pokey, but at least they would provide a semblance of comfort for Hinata well away from the brothel. Every second that passed –without even a glance in her direction – a sinking feeling of sadness for Hinata began to weigh him down. Here was somebody who really needed his help. Because it felt right, he sent her a backwards look and saw that she was looking at him in some degree of awe. He smiled.

"You holding up okay?" he asked her kindly.

"Ye-yeah," she managed weakly. Her cheeks, which had already turned pink with the cold, darkened with a blush.

"We're nearly there. I'll get a fire going for you and see if I can get you some better clothes."

He tugged her around a few more corners and down a ratty street. When he turned to check on her again he saw that her fear had returned. He was sure it was the location and she was right to be mistrusting. Being here with the wrong type of person would not end well –an understatement.

"Trust me, Hinata, please," he begged her, looking directly at her with his most appealing expression. "I'm going to help you."

They crossed the dirty and holey road and walked up an ugly brown path leading to a broken front door into one of the frightening-looking houses. Hinata's eyes were spilling over with silent tears and even though Naruto was being as reassuring as he could, she was too scarred by her street experiences to dispel her fear of him.

He half-dragged her down a dingy corridor and into what used to be a living room. There was a dented mattress, which certainly didn't put her at ease, in one corner and a few glass bottles littered the wooden floor. Naruto sat her down on the mattress regardless and stepped far away from her, giving her personal space until she gathered herself.

She couldn't move at first, sitting stiffly stock still. Naruto settled down on the floor at the far end of the room, facing her in case she tried to get his attention. When she regained control of her body she tried to staunch the flow of tears with her wrists to no result. Naruto pulled his scarf and threw it to her. It landed on the mattress – he had good aim.

After a while he took a gamble. "Hinata. I want to help you get out of the brothel. I'm _going_ to get you out." She sniffed and nodded, picking up the scarf and drying her eyes with it. Tears that had frozen inside her were coming out now. Naruto was not surprised. She couldn't show vulnerability at the brothel. The whores were such hardy, emotionless people – people who wouldn't think twice about hurting her for showing an ounce of a soul. Being taken out of that setting had probably flicked a switch inside her to let it all spill out.

Watching her was making Naruto angry. How could people be so heartless? Were they honestly blind to the pain they'd put this person to? Hinata was making him feel dirty inside for all the times he'd slept with a hooker. He balled his hands into fists and forced himself to keep watching her piece herself back together into some semblance of calm. 'Calm' in the sense of 'not falling apart'. A surge of hatred coursed through him and he started shaking involuntarily, clenching his jaw and grinding his teeth in an effort to regain his own composure.

He didn't care at that moment what Hinata thought he was doing. All he could think about was marching back to the brothel and tearing the person who had employed – stolen – her apart. His mind was clouded by Shizune's smug, soulless smile as she told him how problematic she was. He didn't see a problematic hooker on that mattress. He saw a broken human being.

"Feel better?" he made himself ask, offering a strained smile. She nodded – a lie. He gave a nod of acknowledgement.

"A-and y-you Naruto?" she surprised him by asking softly, voice still wavering with tears she had yet to shed. His anger ebbed away a little.

"I'll be okay. I'm just sorry you had to be there fore so long." Hinata looked slightly surprised his time as she widened her eyes. She looked down at the floor quickly with a little gasp, as if she'd given away too much in that little reaction. Naruto understood why she did it.

"Pretend I'm not here. I have no intention of sending you anywhere that _both_ of us don't approve of." She was another Sasuke-type, only she'd been sold off by her rich family. She'd been damaged before; the brothel had just ruined her a little more. He gave her a pained smile that surprised them both. He was very tuned-in to her.

"Thank you v-very much," she replied in the tiniest of small voices. When she hunched over Naruto was given a glimpse of her cleavage. Fury swirled around him in a blaze of white-hot flames. He pulled a spare shirt he had out of the bag and tossed it over to her.

"You must be cold," he said stiffly, filtering the steel out of his voice with difficulty. She pulled it on gratefully, visibly gaining a fraction of confidence now that she wasn't so ludicrously exposed. She gave him a smile which, by the standards life had forced on her, was open and genuine. Naruto decided now she trusted him enough for him to get closer.

"Do you mind if I come a bit closer?" He asked her first. She looked uncertain, but shook her head no, she didn't mind. He moved over to her in the most unthreatening manner he could and sat beside her on the lumpy mattress. She leaned slightly away from him but he pretended not to see it. It wasn't personal: she had every right to fear other people. It was becoming harder and harder to trust mankind.

"Have you got anywhere to go to?" He asked her, his voice fanning out into the heavy silence that had fallen. Hinata chewed her lip, looking tearful.

"I d-don't know," she replied uncertainly. "I have a cou-cousin, Ne-Neji, who was always very g-good to my sister and I. I h-haven't seen him for a year o-or two now, though." Naruto mulled over what she had said, thinking of a way to comfort her.

"Well, luckily for you I can arrange for some people to look for this Neji. I've got a wide network practically at my fingertips. Only – it'll be for a price. I think you'll understand that it's a little unfair to ask somebody that lives in these conditions to waste their working time searching for somebody for free." Hinata nodded jerkily, clearly fretting now about what to pay them with. She had left the brothel with nothing. If she had had any possessions they were gone by now. Naruto added: "you can pay once they've found him, I'm sure. I've got a good honest guy in mind – he's the smartest. His name's Shikamaru."

* * *

"Jeez, you're so troublesome. Can't you shut your mouth for just ten seconds?" The blonde looked affronted, pulling her coat tightly around herself as she drew herself up. She was definitely intimidating. It was just a pity that it didn't work on him anymore. Temari halted and crossed her arms across her chest, posing in her we're-not-going-anywhere-until-you-take-it-back pose. Shikamaru clicked his tongue irritably and raked his eyes over her slowly and scornfully.

"So help me, I will whack you round the head so hard you'll lose IQ points, you lazy fuck," Temari growled, elegant eyebrows furrowed into headstrong anger. Shikamaru slowly folded one of his arms over the other across his chest, mimicking Temari, and then slumped tiredly.

"And then what will happen to you? How appealing does 'brothel' sound?" Shikamaru sighed wearily and surveyed their surroundings. He had to keep his eye out for familiar faces.

He could always one-up her. He (grudgingly) paid for most of her clothes, her rent and took her on as his assistant in his 'business'. She knew that, apart from being intimidating and female, she was almost of no use to him. She owed him a lot. She growled under her breath.

"Fine, I'll give you your poxy ten seconds. Enjoy them." She pursed her lips childishly and tossed her head to look around, too, for familiar faces.

A few metres away, a dark-haired kid was walking drunkenly and calling out hoarsely. Temari glowered at him as if he'd personally offended her, and stepped closer to Shikamaru. He cast a brief sideways glance at her to see if she was okay.

"Shik, is that one of yours?" She asked him, pointing at the drunk. Shikamaru sighed again and looked at the kid, squinting to get a better picture.

"No, but he doesn't look like he should be here. Go and talk to him," Shikamaru ordered. Temari scowled at him but walked over to the boy, the heels of her boots clicking as she walked briskly towards him.

"Hi, kid," she said as kindly as she could (which wasn't very kind at all). "Who are you with?" The drunk looked at her pleadingly. He wasn't that young – not much younger than herself with pale skin and dark eyes.

"I need to find somebody," he struggled to get out, swaying on his feet. Temari held his upper arm to steady him.

"Who are you looking for?" She asked him softly, taking in his dilated pupils and chapped lips. Dehydration and drug use – he was from Orochimaru's faction without a doubt.

"Uzumaki Naruto."

* * *


	11. What you know, who you know

**Diamond in the Dirt**

**Warning: Rated M**

Author's notes: Sorry it's late... I think I'm starting ever 'note' with an apology now. I've explained that I'm very busy at the moment, right? I hope this is enough to tide you lovely readers over for a little while. Thank you for the great response I got for the last chapter - it's been the best so far. As I've said before, with out you, I'm nothing. Thanks so much! Keep dropping me reviews! :)

* * *

**Chapter eleven**

**Who you know, what you know**

Temari shifted the boy beside her to better support him as he slumped heavily. They'd come to a stop outside a boozer ring and Shikamaru had left her outside. Boozers were unpredictable when they were drunk and Shikamaru didn't want her in any danger. She had one arm looped around his back, just under his shoulder blades and was fed up with dragging his sorry drugged ass around to find Naruto. Shika knew him, but he was proving a devil to find. Nobody had seen him today.

"Hey, err, kid?" she addressed the boy. "Do you mind not leaning on me so much? The boots kill on my own weight, never mind yours as well. You're skinny, but not _that_ skinny." It seemed to register, after a little while. The kid stood up a bit straighter.

"Where's Naruto?" he mumbled blearily. The drug was wearing off and he was sleepy. Temari cast an experienced eye over him.

"We'll find him for you. Shikamaru's the best guy out here. He knows everyone." She offered a smile just as Shikamaru started towards them from the compound the boozers had taken up residence in. He raised his eyebrows sarcastically at her.

"Are you putting the frighteners on him already, Temari?" he asked dryly, slipping his own arms under the boy's shoulder blades and taking up supporting him. Temari sighed thankfully, lifting one foot, and then the other, gingerly with a wince. She gave him a delayed pout, smacking the side of his head lightly.

"No," she sulked. She crossed her arms as they started to walk. "Do you know where Naruto is?"

"Not yet. We're getting close – one of the drunks had some information. Naruto was supposed to be dealing with a frigid whore. His words, not mine-" Shikamaru added when Temari's expression turned dark. "And was at a brothel a few streets from here. Think your feet can handle the walk?" He raised his eyebrows in a lazy way that always managed to infuriate her. The truth was that her feet were aching more than she thought was possible, but she'd never admit that to him. If the kid hadn't been there, she would have shoved him.

"I'm fine," she ground out bitingly. Shikamaru looked as though he didn't believe her, getting his I'm-irritated-and-I-don't-believe-you expression.

"You're hobbling, you're crabbier than usual – you're not 'fine'. It'll be annoying to carry you home later. Just go now," he ordered jadedly. Temari only looked more adamant about going on.

She was stubborn about showing weakness – she'd grown up surrounded by men: her mother had died young and she'd raised her two brothers, Gaara and Kankuro, practically alone. Her father was more interested in bringing his boozy mates and the occasional hooker home to 'cope' with the loss of his wife than caring for his children. As a result, Temari had grown emotionally strong and less 'girly' than most other women in her social class.

"I'm going," she stated firmly, taking off and re-winding her scarf around her neck resolutely. Shikamaru rolled his eyes and muttered 'women are so troublesome', earning another (harder) smack on the head from Temari. Her feet were throbbing as she said it but as promised she walked all he way to the brothel without slowing Shikamaru down or complaining.

At the brothel, she and the kid fell down side by side on a plush sofa in the 'waiting room'. She was in too much pain to care much about the suspicious stains on the upholstery. The kids head rolled to rest on her shoulder, snoring softly after a few minutes. She was beginning to feel sorry for him – he really was just a kid. She touched his hand comfortingly.

She could hear Shikamaru talking to one of the prostitutes in the brothel's 'office'. She grit her teeth when she heard flirty giggling and Shikamaru's deep rumbling chuckle – lazy, just like him. She'd have to pound him afterwards. You do not mix business with pleasure. How would he like it if she stuffed herself in a sleazy strip club? She balled her hand into a fist, cursing when one of her sharp nails scratched her palm.

She held the injured palm up to her face, wincing at the blossoming angry red welt that was rising between her life line and head line. It stung a little as she tried to rub it away (stupidly) with a knuckle. The jiggling movement of her shoulder as she rubbed woke the boy and he blinked groggily at his surroundings. Jeez, he was really disorientated – he frowned, struggling to focus on a familiar item or person and drawing a complete blank. Temari hoped he wasn't the type to panic.

"Hey there," she soothed like a mother to a child. "Are you okay? We've nearly find your Naruto." The kid relaxed visibly at the reassurance, eyelids drooping again. She looked up as Shikamaru exited the office, tugging sharply on the collar of his shirt. Temari narrowed her eyes at him. The only time Shikamaru did 'sharp' was when he was being sarcastic, or when he'd done something bad.

"You okay there, Shika?" Temari questioned, not stopping the undertone to her question from seeping in there. "Did you find out anything?" Shikamaru gave her a small frown.

"He's run off with Hyuuga Hinata. She's the daughter of Hyuuga Hiashi – this place has been sitting on a goldmine this whole time and all they did was treat her like dirt. They have no idea who she is. Or rather: who her family is." He rolled his eyes in a lazy way, as if he would have used Hinata's social status to make money. Temari knew better.

"So now what?" Temari asked him, blanching at the thought of lots and lots of walking in her painful boots. And dragging the boy along. "Should we look for him or leave it for tonight?"

"The concierge saw them heading towards the lodging houses over towards the drug turf. She thinks they'll be staying in one of the lodging houses over that way because they're all so broken up and ancient that the police aren't even bothering. Can you manage?" He checked again, and again she glared.

"Yes. These boots are really comfy." Surprisingly, she sounded convincing even to herself. Shikamaru didn't press it.

Shikamaru made his way over to the couch and shook the boy awake gently, slipping his arm under the kid's armpits once he'd gathered his bearings. Temari stood up slowly, swaying on her sore feet. The kid leaned heavily on Shikamaru as he was dragged along with his eyes closed towards the exit. Temari narrowed her eyes again at Shikamaru. His shirt had been pulled to one side, exposing a red blemish on his collarbone. _Ah._

She opened her mouth to snap, changed her mind and pursed her lips. Shikamaru wasn't her son or brother or friend to scold for using a prostitute, he knew what he was doing. Temari followed a few paces behind him, silent.

She couldn't say how long it took them to reach the shabby houses because her feet hurt so much. It could have been twenty minutes, but it felt like so much longer. Shikamaru didn't say a word to her, even though he usually teased her when she was quiet. This only confirmed her suspicions about the mark on his collarbone (still exposed and mocking her), adding another burden to her already aching body. She kept an eye on the kid for signs of illness because that kept her distracted. She wasn't an expert on drug-related body failure but she'd notice something obvious, and that was probably useful.

Her shoulders slumped when Shikamaru walked purposely towards the only lit house on the street. This was him. This was Naruto. She was sure of it.

…

"I got you something to eat." His money was running extremely low, but when was it ever not running low? He knew that he should've economised a bit more, but with Sasuke to look after and now Hinata that was out of the question. He wasn't that bothered about it, really, but he had to why it was this way round when both these people were from the upper class.

Hinata took the food her was offering to her – still-warm instant ramen and a drink – and thanked him timidly. He shrugged her thanks away and sat down beside her to eat his own food. He couldn't afford a second ramen and drink so he'd lumped for fresh fruit and a biscuit. It wasn't exactly nourishing but it was food, so he couldn't complain. Wouldn't complain. That didn't stop his stomach from growling once he'd finished though.

Naruto was not comfortable with silence. When he was on his own, sure, he could bear it. However, with Hinata sitting right next to him being careful not to make noise as she ate the food he'd given her he began to feel antsy. He tapped his feet without rhythm and looked around the room for a distraction. It had grown dark out while he'd been getting food for them and Hinata had found a lamp and had plugged it in. It didn't really surprise Naruto that the house still had electricity supplied to it: maintenance guys avoided these kinds of areas at all costs. He didn't blame them.

"It's good. Thank you." The fear in her voice made Naruto look at her. She hadn't eaten much so he supposed she didn't want to look ungrateful.

"Not hungry?" he asked.

"N-not really," she replied, not looking at him.

"I'll finish it. Don't worry so much, Hinata," he soothed. He didn't want her to feel bad anymore. She'd undergone a terrible thing and now he'd get her a better life.

Naruto started slurping up the remaining noodles and broth and Hinata huddled up inside her borrowed jacket to keep warm. It was icy cold inside the house. Naruto was used to all types of cold; Hinata was accustomed to central heating and sweaty brothels. Watching her out of the corner of his eye Naruto wanted to offer her more.

He was about to offer her the mohair blanket he'd stolen from the market when he heard the front door opening. Hinata stiffened in terror while his fighting instinct kicked into action. He set down the pot of noodles and stood quietly, careful not to make any of the floorboards creak with the shift of his weight. He pressed a finger to his lips to indicate that Hinata should be quiet.

He counted two footsteps – one that he assumed was feminine with the click of heels and a more masculine thud. He held his breath as they approached straining his ears to make out their mumbling. His heart pounded in his chest. Hinata let out a quiet cry.

The footsteps came closer. They were walking terribly slowly. They were probably suspicious too. Naruto thought his head would explode if he didn't breathe soon, but he was too het up to take a breath. The intruders were just at the doorway now. Any second now they'd round the corner. Naruto's blood rushed around his body in a heated typhoon.

"Who's there?" Naruto's aggressive voice cut into the thick silence like a knife. He crouched slightly, adopting an aggressive pose.

"Uzumaki Naruto?" A blonde came to stand in the doorway so that he could see her. She looked familiar, but he didn't relax.

"Who wants to know?" He growled. She surveyed him haughtily, and then ran her eyes over Hinata.

"This guy here," she said, smiling. Shikamaru joined her in the doorway, supporting a very familiar looking person.

"Is that Uchiha Sasuke?" He asked, shocked. He moved over automatically to take the limp boy from Shikamaru.

"I don't know," Shikamaru shrugged lazily. "He wouldn't say. He just kept asking for you."

"What happened to him?"

"Drugs, by the looks of it. His pupils were dilated when we found him and he was completely out of it. I'd say some kind of depressant because he's so gone. How do you know him?"

"I worked for his father. You heard about the fire, right?" Shikamaru and the blonde nodded, puzzle pieces clicking in their minds. "I looked after him for one night until I got him to a police station." There was a pause as Naruto lugged Sasuke over to the mattress and laid him down, brushing his hair away from his face and touching his forehead with cool, worried fingertips. Hinata was forgotten but, to be honest, she preferred having the attention pulled away from her.

"Yeah, I heard about it." Shikamaru slipped his hands into his trouser pockets.

"He's got no one, then. Do you know who he was staying with? Where did you find him?" Naruto looked sadly at the sleeping Sasuke, taking note of how slim and pale he was. His roaming eyes paused briefly on the juncture between his collarbones that hollowed out horribly with every inhalation. Shikamaru and the blonde were silent for a while. "I can't look after him."

"I suppose not," Shikamaru agreed quietly, looking around at the room with detached criticism.

"He can't stay by himself," Temari pointed out, eager to contribute something. Naruto looked torn. Another silence fell over them.

"I guess he won't want to stay once he's recovered," Naruto said slowly. He glanced over at Sasuke guiltily, imagining what the bastard would say if he could contribute to their discussion.

"E-e-excuse me," Hinata piped up from the mattress, where she'd gone unnoticed by Naruto and the guests since they'd arrived. "If I c-could f-find Neji, I c-could have him b-buy y-you a p-p-place to stay." She was bright red by the time she reached the end of the short sentence but Naruto could have kissed her.

"You'd do that?" He asked her joyously.

"_If_ she finds Neji," Temari reminded him bluntly. Shikamaru sent her a disapproving look but the damage had been done. Hinata was once again silenced and Naruto deflated visibly.

"I'll keep him 'til he's sober." Naruto decided. "Somebody will be willing to take him in if I can't, or he'll turn all independent and piss off by himself, right?" Temari and Shikamaru shrugged. Yes they dealt with street people - but they didn't ever follow up their 'cases' and they had paid-for homes to go to at the end of the night. Naruto bit the inside of his cheek as Shikamaru waited patiently for him to make a decision. They were both jolted out of their respectful silences when Temari staggered and fell against the wall, blushing bright red.

"I'm so sorry. I lost my balance." Shikamaru almost laughed: she sounded so uncharacteristically sheepish. Her feet were probably _bleeding_ for her to have lost her balance. She was the most elegant and poised woman Shikamaru knew, even if she was often too blunt for his liking and perhaps a little too comfortable around men in her arrogance and fairly regular moments of coarseness.

Naruto sighed decisively, clapping his hands together quietly and grimacing resolutely at Sasuke's limp form. "Yeah, I'll look after him. Thanks for bringing him to me, Shika. You'll keep an eye out for Neji, won't you?"

Shikamaru nodded, stepping to Temari's side and taking her arm. She glared at him but didn't resist. "Of course I will."

"You don't want to stay a while?"

"No, thank you. I've got to get my assistant home before she passes out." Shikamaru ignored the venomous looks Temari was throwing at him. She paused for a second to give a tight, businesslike smile. With a wave and a call of 'goodnight', they exited. Naruto flopped down onto the mattress, jiggling Sasuke and Hinata up and down when the springs of the mattress bent under his weight.

"Are you ok-kay, N-Naruto?" Hinata asked him timidly, extending her hand a little to him and then retracting it sharply. Naruto looked briefly at her, with a soft smile on his lips.

"I'll be okay. I'm always okay." She wasn't blind; she could see emotion swimming beneath the clever guard in his blue eyes. His fingers crept to stroke Sasuke's hair gently, fussing over the sweat-dampened roots of the pale boy's black locks. Hinata blinked, a little surprised by Naruto's openness. "Don't tell him he's a burden to me," Naruto joked to her, "he'll probably kill me. Slowly." Hinata smiled feebly.

"Your secret is s-safe with m-me, Naruto."

"I know," he replied with a wink. She blushed, thinking he meant that she was too introverted to spread any secrets, rumours or gossip. He arched one eyebrow at her reaction, which only made her blush turn from a dark pink to almost stinging scarlet. She could feel her cheeks burning.

"C'mon, Hinata. You should go to sleep. I don't know what tomorrow's going to be like so it's best you get your rest." He hauled his bag over to him and pulled out the mohair blanket. "If you want the blanket you're going to have to sleep the street way. Huddled up." He moved Sasuke closer to him and threw the blanket over himself and the unconscious boy. Hinata hesitated, and then scooted over.

"Alright?"

Hinata nodded, pulling the blanket up under her chin, enjoying the heat that was beginning to build under the mohair. It wasn't as hot as the steamy brothel she'd become quite accustomed to, but it was better than the cold room.

* * *

A around three-thirty in the morning, Naruto and Hinata were jerked awake by Sasuke vomiting in the corner of the room. It was apparent how he'd managed to drag himself across the room with out waking them, but it wasn't very important.

"Crap," Naruto cursed, his voice groggy with sleep. Hinata sat up and rubbed her tired eyes, staring into the gloam with concern. The pungent smell of acidic waste reached her nostrils and her stomach turned. She'd never had a strong stomach for such gross bodily things.

Naruto walked over to Sasuke, crouching down beside him and placing a hand on his upper back. Hinata couldn't hear what he was saying. She tugged the edges of the blanket around her as she started shivering. Her body temperature had sunk in the night and now she'd lost her resistance to the room's seemingly sub-zero temperature.

"I'm fine," she heard the strange voice – Sasuke's voice – say, "what are you doing here, moron?" She heard more horrible retching and a terrible gurgling that almost had her spilling her insides. Sasuke spat something out and groaned.

"You'll be alright in a bit, your stomach's empty," she heard Naruto mutter back to him. He wasn't having it though.

"I'm not listening to an idiot like _you_. What do _you_ know about me?" Hinata winced at the acid in his slurring voice.

"Okay, okay, but you need to sleep Sasuke-bastard. You won't be able to get away from me tomorrow if you don't." Hinata gave a little smile of mirth at the way he was handling the moody not-quite-sober Sasuke.

"Get off me," Sasuke tried to get away from Naruto's hand on his back almost landing one of his knees in his sick. Naruto hoisted him up by his arms and half-carried him back to the mattress, rolling his eyes at Hinata at how embarrassing Sasuke was being. He dropped the protesting boy onto the lumpy mattress.

"Ow! Who's that?" He squinted blearily at Hinata, pointing vaguely in her direction. He glared at her. "I know you, Hyuuga. Hyuuga Hinata, or are you Hanabi? I don't know why your stupid parents gave you all the same damn names." Hinata blushed in shame. Naruto gave Sasuke a little shove.

"Watch you mouth, bastard," he growled.

"Her father tried to take over my father's business," he said stoutly, lying down and closing his eyes with a sharp exhale.

"Corruption," Naruto sighed. Hinata gaped but Sasuke did not stir. _Corruption?_

"Moron." Sasuke mumbled loudly, before giving a snuffle and settling into sleep.

* * *


	12. Amnesia, anger and the annoyance

**Diamond in the Dirt**

**Warning: Rated M**

Author's notes: I'm sorry about the wait for this chapter. Knowing the time of the year and all I guess you'd have figured I'm doing exams. I would have liked to update sooner but the last exams were the toughest and took all of my time. Having to work most days didn't exactly help either. They wouldn't even give me time off when I asked. :( Well, here it is anyway and thank you for reviews for the last chapter. I'm really grateful and honoured.

* * *

**Chapter twelve  
Amnesia, anger and the annoyance**

"G-good m-morning, Sasuke," Hinata stuttered friendlily when Sasuke cracked his eyes open to sunlight streaming into the smelly room he appeared to have slept in. He had little recollection of how he'd gotten there, but he recognised the girl.

"Good morning," he grouched in a mutter. He pushed himself up into a sitting position, starting when the blanket covering slipped off of his shoulder and tickled him. He cursed his jumpiness. Hinata looked a little concerned, her slim eyebrows curving worriedly. Sasuke grimaced slightly, running a hand through his tangled hair. "Where am I? How did I get here?"

"You- you don't r-remember, Sa-Sasuke?" Hinata asked. That didn't sound very promising to him.

"No…" he trailed off warily.

"Temari and Shikamaru dragged your sorry ass all over the city last night to find me," Naruto piped up from the corner of the room. Sasuke jumped again, looking over at the blond. Naruto was fiddling with an ancient-looking metal gas cooker, his hand covered with black stains. Sasuke cocked an eyebrow questioningly. "You were asking for me, but you didn't explain why you wanted me."

Sasuke looked doubtful and was embarrassed. He'd really asked for the moron?

"Don't worry too much about it. You were off your head on drugs; you're allowed to make mistakes." Naruto gave a small shrug.

"I… was drugged?" Sasuke thought back to the day before, finding only a shocking blank. The last thing he thought he could remember was encountering Kabuto on the stairs some nights ago on a nocturnal trip to the bathroom. How long ago had that really been? Three, four, five nights? A week?

"Seems so," Naruto replied. "You don't remember taking anything? That's pretty rough – though, at least you won't be able to get addicted to anything." Sasuke glared at him.

"Don't make this a joke," Sasuke bristled angrily, gritting his teeth.

"Who's laughing?" Naruto asked breezily. Sasuke picked up that Naruto was not happy with him. What for? Did he think he'd turned to drugs intentionally? Or was it simply because he was around? Had he ruined Naruto and Hinata's 'alone time'? He snorted mentally. The last option sounded highly unlikely knowing how introverted Hinata was. He doubted anyone would be able to whisper the word 'sex' within a ten mile radius of Hinata without her flushing bright red.

"How have you been? I mean, aside from the obvious." Naruto asked hesitantly, not looking at Sasuke. Sasuke held his breath, and was then unsure as to why he did it. He frowned slightly, and then gave a small shrug.

"Surviving," he answered truthfully. He started absently picking at a cuticle, not stopping even when it began to bleed. This did not go unnoticed by Hinata and Naruto. He didn't even know what he was doing it until he noticed the silence and saw a bright crimson bubble of blood winking at him from his finger. He exhaled sharply and gave the witnesses a look that said '_don't tell'_.

"Surviving," Naruto repeated firmly. "That's good." Sasuke silently staunched the flow of blood on his trousers. "What do you kids want for breakfast?" Naruto asked cheerily, destroying the tension just like that. He was good at manipulating feelings, him. He wasn't really expecting an answer, and left immediately. Sasuke and Hinata sat in silence.

"Where were you, then? I'm surprised your father hasn't found you yet." Sasuke's voice was flat and unconcerned, but Hinata leaned into the inquiry and drew comfort from his polite interest.

"It w-was horrible, S-Sasuke. I-I-I w-was in the r-red light d-district." All the blood in her body rushed to her face in a rush of heat. Sasuke looked at her sharply. "I d-don't know why m-m-my father h-hasn't c-c-come to g-get me. I-I don't remember what h-happened to g-get me there. They wouldn't t-tell me, th-the l-ladies."

"You didn't…" Sasuke let his question hang until Hinata understood.

"Oh no! Thank goodness, I n-never did." Hinata shivered unconsciously. Sasuke lowered his eyes, thinking. The things he'd looked down on all of his life, they were happening to him and others like him. How could he have snubbed them before when they hated their lives as much as he had hated them for being desperate? How could he have complained about his rich life?

"I was with Oto Orochimaru." He had meant to expand on that detail, but Hinata's hand flew to her mouth as she gasped. He raised an eyebrow at her questioningly.

"I heard th-that he's the l-lord of the p-p-poor. He owned the… p-pleasure house I w-was in." Hinata stumbled over her word in her horror. She thought that she had had it bad. "He is so d-dangerous th-the ladies called h-him the devil himself w-when he c-c-came visiting. H-he owns the d-drugs, brothels a-and alcohol businesses. A-apparently he has p-people k-killed on a daily b-basis! S-Sasuke, are you really okay?" Sasuke took this information in remarkably well; deep down he'd known it all. The off-limits area, the late night visitors, workers, and incidents he couldn't _really_ remember…

"I'm fine. He didn't ever do anything to me. I hardly saw him around," he lied easily. He had to will himself not to pick at his cuticles again or bite the inside of his cheek – habits he indulged in he had to think about Orochimaru.

* * *

Naruto tried to ignore how much Sasuke dragged when they walked. It had only been four hours and the rich kid was tired. Didn't he go to gyms to keep himself trim and perfect as rich folks tended to do? With the help of Shikamaru and Temari, they were seeking Neji. Hinata hadn't complained or broken pace once, even when they had smuggled her right past her brothel door. He was usually willing to make allowances for people, but there was just something about Sasuke that made him want to piss him off. Even after he'd been through a lot.

"Oi, rich bitch," _rich bitch? _His mind screamed at the stupid-come-genius insult. "Pick up the pace, Lady." Hinata looked shocked. Naruto gave her a little wink before dropping to the floor in a mock bow to Sasuke, offering his hand. "If I may escort you, m'am." Nobody offered even a titter, and he received only a murderous look from Sasuke, a mortified look from Hinata and raised eyebrows from Shikamaru and Temari. "Tough crowd," he commented dryly, picking himself up, "but seriously, pick up the pace."

Sasuke paid no heed to his order. If anything, he dragged even more with his expression becoming darker and darker and his chin getting closer and closer to his chest as he glared daggers at the pavement. Naruto couldn't help shooting him looks every minute or so. He chastised himself for checking on Sasuke so often – it was irrational concern; he knew that Sasuke had lost his parents and been subject to Orochimaru's sadistic ways in just four weeks and that Sasuke had every right to drag a little and feel, probably, like crap. He really did have a lot more toughening up to do.

"Is this the Hyuuga crest?" Shikamaru had stopped and turned to ask Hinata a question. Hinata moved stiffly and self-consciously towards a plaque fixed to one of the huge white walls of the mansions on the street which they were walking along. She ran her eyes over the image. It was unmistakably the Hyuuga crest. Rarely would a family embellish an outer wall with a coloured family crest, so the red and yellow design screamed out the confirmation – and the wealth – that this was a Hyuuga home.

"Y-yes," Hinata managed, covering her mouth with her little hands and tears welled up in her eyes. Naruto put his arm around her comfortingly and was startled when she jerked away from him as if burnt. _Oops…_ Sasuke let out a cruel laugh. Naruto glared at him, slightly shamefaced.

"How do you know it's Hyuuga Neji's house?" Temari asked Shikamaru, giving the house a contemptuous scowl.

"I don't," Shikamaru replied, not even looking at her. Temari transferred her scowl to him.

"So… how do we find out?" Naruto asked, trying to apologise to Hinata without making it obvious to everybody else the boo-boo he'd made.

"By ringing the intercom, obviously." Shikamaru rolled his eyes and pressed a buzzer on the metal intercom in the white wall. Sasuke mouthed _'well done, genius'_ at Naruto. Naruto mouthed '_thank you' _back childishly.

The buzzer rang a few times, leaving a tense silence hovering over the small group. Even Sasuke was clenching his jaw as the long ringing sounds drew out. Finally somebody answered: "_Good morning! This is the Hyuuga household. May I ask who is calling?" _

"Is this Hyuuga Neji's home?" Shikamaru asked politely.

"_Who is calling?" _The voice was female but slightly mechanical, as if she answered intercom calls all day.

"Friends of the Hyuuga family. Is this Hyuuga Neji's home?"

"_I'm sorry; I have to ask you to identify yourselves."_

"I apologise for putting you in an awkward situation but I need to know if this is Hyuuga Neji's home." Temari kicked him in the leg and mouthed 'useless' at him.

"_I have orders from the Hyuuga family to confirm identities of visitors before divulging any information." _Shikamaru scowled and tapped the side of his fist on the wall irritably. He exhaled loudly.

"My name is Nara Shikamaru. Can you tell me if this is Hyuuga Neji's home now?" Temari looked shocked.

"_I need all visitors to identify themselves._"

"So you have cameras, huh? The female blond is Tem-"

"_I need all visitors to identify themselves._" The repetition was eerie. It was identical to the first statement. Naruto doubted whatever on the other line was human.

"I'm Sabaku Temari." Temari shoved Shikamaru quite brutally out of the intercom speaker's way and identified herself. She prompted Naruto, Sasuke and Hinata to do the same.

"I'm Uzumaki Naruto."

"Uchiha Sasuke."

Hinata stepped forward timidly. "Yamada Natsuko." Naruto repressed the urge to gawp. She actually sounded confident! And she'd lied!

"_Just a moment."_

Bizarrely, music started pouring out of the intercom, leaving the group puzzled and staring at each other. Nobody dared say anything in case the camera was still on. The music stopped.

"_Your names have been verified as valid. Please, come in_."

"We just want to know if this-" The intercom call was disconnected. "Right, let's go then." The door into the mansion's grounds opened. Once they were inside, Naruto turned to Hinata excitedly.

"How did you do that? How did you know 'Yamada Natsuko' was a real person?" He asked quietly.

"She w-was at the pleasure h-house. You shouldn't sp-speak now. There is surveillance h-here." They walked along a straight path leading right up to the front door of the mansion. Sasuke's house was dwarfed by this one. Naruto stared in awe at the gardens and the exterior of the house. It was fit for royalty. He'd known of the prestigious Hyuuga family and its wealth, but this was beyond his expectations. How had he never worked for them? They must pay thousands! Perhaps he'd be able to wangle a job whilst returning Hinata safe and sound to her home… surely it was the least they could do?

He glanced at Sasuke again. The boy was looking sourly at the ground. Naruto felt a little sorry for him. Seeing this beautiful home probably reminded his of his own former wealth. 'Salt' and 'wound' came to mind and Naruto grimaced at what Sasuke must have been thinking. Something similar to what he wondered about his parents sometimes…

Sasuke caught him looking at him. Again. Naruto tried the sheepish smile again. "Why do you keep looking at me moron? Is there something you want to say?" Naruto smiled back irksomely.

"Let's see… you're annoying, bratty, moody and a pain to be around for any amount of time. But I'll put up with you, I think."

"'I think'?" Sasuke snarled furiously, stepping up to Naruto as if he was going to punch him. "Don't worry about me sticking with you. I'd rather have died with my parents than have you 'help me' adjust to my 'new life'." Naruto raised his eyebrows and that was when Sasuke socked him right in the nose with his rock hard fist. Naruto reeled and fell to the floor, landing heavily on his rump. Hinata cried out in shock. Shikamaru frowned bemusedly. Temari cheered. Sasuke simply shook his fist and smirked.

"Feel better?" Naruto asked nasally, holding his nose and blinking back tears of pain.

"Much."

"Well, I'm glad." He stood up agilely. Shikamaru stepped towards him cautiously, ready to grab him if he fought back. Naruto walked towards Sasuke slowly who stood his ground and patted him on the shoulder sarcastically. He wiped his nose with the same hand and winced when his nose throbbed and his hand came away streaked with dark blood. Some of it was already crusting and stung the sensitive skin around his nose. "I hope it's not broken. I rely on my good looks for a lot of things and a broken nose isn't going to give off a good message."

Surprisingly. Sasuke smiled amusedly. "So it's agreed that we're both a pain in the ass?"

"I think." Naruto grinned.

"Eurgh. Don't you ever think you'll get away with something like that Shik. If you ever do anything I don't like I'll make sure you won't be able to even think about it without shitting your panties." Shikamaru growled at her as she smiled sweetly at him.

"You're whipped, Shik. Never ever marry her, mate," Naruto advised. They started towards the house again. "They're not going to let us in now, are they?"

* * *

"Yamada Natsuko? Are you Most Wanted or something? For you to identify yourself as a thirty-eight-year-old prostitute – a Hyuuga – you must have done something terrible." Naruto liked Hyuuga Neji. He seemed calm and friendly despite his autocratic upbringing.

"It was t-terrible out there, cousin." Hinata told him. He'd had maids dress her and throw out her pleasure house grab and was having a room made up for her. She was now wearing a formal dress that made her look like a princess and Naruto, Sasuke, Shikamaru and Temari had been invited to drink tea with them. Whilst everybody else was extremely grateful for Neji's kindness, Sasuke was mentally glaring Neji to smithereens.

"I am incredibly sorry that you had to undergo this. Rest assured that inquiries will be made and we _will_ discover how this happened. May I also say that I am immensely grateful to you, Uzumaki Naruto, Nara Shikamaru and Sabaku Temari for your help. You too, Uchiha Sasuke, and I am sorry for your losses."

"Sure you are, Hyuuga," Sasuke muttered. Neji surveyed him coolly.

"Stop being such a jerk, Sasuke. Can't you understand that there are nice people in the world?" Naruto mumbled through a large mouthful of cake.

"Hyuuga is as transparent as glass. He's not being nice, he's just going to claim that he found Hinata to get into the main family." He smirked at Neji: "hey, hopefully they'll even marry you and Hinata and you'll never have to worry about your offspring being treated like shit."

"I'm sorry, Mr Hyuuga. There's really no excuse for him. He's just an asshole." Naruto looked apologetically at Neji. Neji shook his head, waving his apology away. Sasuke ignored him.

"I take no heed of his anger; it's understandable and natural, of course. And please, call me Neji. I'll have no formalities from the saviour of my cousin." Neji smiled and patted Hinata on the knee. Naruto almost choked on the tea he'd just taken a mouthful of trying to warn Neji that she was extremely jumpy but Hinata didn't even flinch. Sasuke stared murderously at Neji's hand.

"We should get going," Shikamaru spoke up. Naruto gave him a look that said '_why? Why would you say something like that? You might as well rip out my heart now.'_ Temari nodded. Sasuke stood up immediately.

"There's no hurry," Neji told Shikamaru smoothly, "stay for dinner. It's the least I can do for you all." Naruto nodded frantically, mouth watering.

"We've got other business to attend to. More people to save. I wish we could stay," Shikamaru replied. "Temari, let's go." Temari stood wordlessly with Shikamaru. Naruto hesitated before cramming another tea cake in his mouth and draining the last of his tea.

"Thanks, Neji. You're a great person. Take care of Hinata." A maid appeared at the door to lead them out of the mansion on the ring of a bell beside Neji's armchair.

"Thank you for finding my cousin. The Hyuuga family will forever be grateful."

Once they were out of the mansion and far away from robot-intercoms and surveillance cameras Naruto started whining. "He was such a good guy. How often do you find genuine rich people? No offence, Sasuke. Actually, take offence, Sasuke, because you were a bastard to me. He offered us dinner! We're going hungry tonight, Sasuke! It's impossible to find food most of the time, and I know you'll turn your nose up at bin food."

"He wasn't genuine, you idiot." Sasuke told him. "Hyuugas are a corrupt family, working alongside Orochimaru to make money. Uchihas are – were – better than them. They only have the luxuries I didn't have because they had other sources of income. They probably sold their daughter into prostitution. She fetched a good sum, I wager. She would have fetched more if people had actually fucked her. You win some, you lose some." He spat. Naruto looked at him disbelievingly.

"The thought crossed your mind, didn't it?" Shikamaru asked Naruto boredly. It had. "You've got good perception, Uchiha. It's a pity that you're so ignorant."

"Not anymore, Nara. I'm in the heart of it now, aren't I?" Sasuke responded coolly.

"That you are."

Naruto felt slightly out of the loop. What was with all the cryptic phrases? He was a good judge of character – always had been. Neji was a good guy, he was positive. He trusted him to look after Hinata. He got basically the same vibe off Neji that he did Sasuke. Airs, graces, pompous, arrogant, egotistical but underneath they had kind hearts. Sasuke's was buried quite a lot deeper than Neji's.

"Shik knows what he's talking about, kid," Temari said quietly beside him. "And you know Gaara, right?" Naruto looked at her, surprised. He nodded. "I'm his big sister. It's nice to meet you." She winked. Naruto overcame his surprise and grinned back.

"I really am an idiot. I just realised you have the same family name. It's great to meet you. Gaara talks about you a lot… well, a lot for Gaara anyway. You're a really good person. No wonder you're with Shikamaru." Temari grinned.

"Do you make it a habit to say exactly what's on your mind? Honesty can be embarrassing, you know?" Shikamaru and Sasuke shook hands. "I guess we're going our separate ways then. I'll see you around, Uzumaki!" Naruto raised a hand in farewell. He looked at his companion.

"You okay, Sasuke?" He asked. Sasuke looked kind of down. He wasn't angry or irritated. He looked vulnerable. Naruto moved over to stand beside him.

"You've done it again, you know?" Naruto was thrown.

"Huh?"

"You've changed moods. Childish, stupid, charming, kind, concerned. You're too inconsistent."

"Oh." Naruto didn't know where Sasuke was going with his accusation. He frowned as he puzzled over possible theories. "I suppose I am, a bit. It's about being adaptable and to some extent concealing myself. People can't read inconsistent people." He shrugged, tracing his moods over the past ten minutes. Childish – complaining about leaving the mansion. Stupid – thinking Neji was genuine, was that it? Charming – talking to Temari. Kind – complimenting Temari. Concerned – over Sasuke? He did seem to flit through moods strangely fast and without realising it either.

"You're wrong. It doesn't work." Again, Naruto was stumped.

"O-okay." He was stuttering like Hinata, now. He rolled his eyes at himself. What was Sasuke banging on about, anyway? "C'mon. I'll have to get you a place to stay for tonight or you'll end up in a doorway like me. You're quite good-looking, so I might be able to pull some strings at a brothel – if you don't mind, that it." Naruto looked at him uncertainly.

"It's okay. I'll take a doorway. Learn about the culture," he smiled, and Naruto realised he'd made a joke. He smiled back, glad that Sasuke was being less of a bastard than he had been. There _was_ a good person in him.

"You sure? The temperature goes below zero some nights."

"It's refreshing," Sasuke answered firmly. Naruto let out a loud laugh.

"Good one. Now, let's go find us a comfy doorway to sleep in."

* * *


	13. Sightseeing

**Diamond in the Dirt**

**Warning: Rated M**

Author's notes: Here's my first regular update in a long time! Thank you all so much for your feedback for the last chapter even after that long pause in submissions. A huge thank you to anybody who took the time to review, favorite or alert - I'm very grateful to you and encourage you to continue - please. I hope you enjoy this chapter!

* * *

**Chapter thirteen  
Sight-seeing**

Some big force was favouring them today: the sun was out and, although they couldn't really call it warm, the temperature was pleasant on their skin. There wasn't a cloud in the pale blue sky. The streets were busier. It was a good day. Naruto was taking Sasuke sight-seeing.

Being a savvy street person, Naruto was up hours before Sasuke. This left him twiddling his thumbs boredly for a while until the sun began to rise full of promise of a nice day. Then Naruto started to mentally write up an itinerary for the day. Sasuke would, of course, need to learn where all the important food, sleep and sanitary facilities were and then need to know where to avoid and where to go to when there was trouble. He'd need to meet the right people, befriend a few whore, boozers and druggies and find himself a way of getting some money from time to time. He wouldn't need too much information for now if he was going to stay with Naruto for a while, but it was good to know a few things in case they got separated or in the likely event of a fight.

Sasuke began to stir when the sun was higher on the horizon and opened his eyes with a grimace. His arms and legs must have been stiff because it took him a lot of squirming and shifting to raise his body into a sitting position. Naruto gave him a small smile.

"I'll bet you're regretting sleeping in a doorway now. Can you stand up?" Naruto got to his feet easily, having unfolded and stretched them out hours ago. Sasuke grit his teeth and slowly stretched his legs out from their folded position, grimacing as his legs were rudely jerked awake. Naruto held out a hand to him. "Here, I'll help you up. They'll feel better once you've walked around a bit." Sasuke took the proffered hand and Naruto pulled him up, bearing most of his weight when his Sasuke's refused to keep him up. Once he was upright, Sasuke wiggled his legs a bit to try to get some feeling back into them.

"It wasn't that bad." He replied dryly, tentatively walking a few steps.

Naruto raised an eyebrow sceptically. "You're neck, legs and arms are probably as stiff as a corpse's. Even _I_ hate sleeping in doorways, and I've done it for half of my life – give or take a few years." Sasuke twisted his neck until it gave a loud pop and then did the same with his jaw. Naruto made a face at the noise. "Eurgh, don't do your back until I'm out of earshot." Sasuke gave a little snort.

"I'll spare you." Contrary to his words he pulled his arm around his back, which popped loudly and multiple times – like machine gun fire. Naruto covered his ears with an anguished wail.

"Sasuke! You're a bastard!" he moaned once he was sure the gross bone-popping was over. Sasuke smirked.

"So you've said." Sasuke said, with an air of satisfaction in his voice. Naruto scowled at him, wishing he hadn't been so nice and planned to spend a day showing him around instead of fucking a whore, getting plastered or earning some cash. "You're still a moron, too. That little-girl scream you just gave – just more evidence."

"Oh, ha ha. You're such a comedian now." Naruto snapped sourly, pouting. It was quite refreshing to have a not-angry Sasuke, though. "Let's see if you find pissing in an alleyway funny." Sasuke gave him a blank stare.

"Idiot, what are you prattling on about?" he asked slowly and clearly. Naruto gave him a triumphant smile.

"We don't have toilets out here. If you need to piss or take a dump, guess where you have to go!" Naruto gave himself a mental round of applause when he saw the horror in Sasuke's eyes. "You'll never take bathrooms for granted ever again now, will you?" he taunted further in a sing-song voice. He trotted gleefully around Sasuke repeating 'will you?' like an irritating kid. Sasuke eventually was wound up enough to shove the blond unceremoniously and start folding up the blanket he'd shared with Naruto.

"Let's get away from here and find some public toilets."

* * *

Twenty minutes and thirteen streets later, Sasuke had located a filthy, crumbling, stinking but working public toilet. Naruto had sat on one of the sinks while Sasuke had relieved himself, much to Sasuke's anger and distaste and chattered incessantly about the people he had to meet. Naruto had been surprised to see Sasuke wash his hands and face thoroughly after doing his 'business'. 'Old habits die hard, then?' he'd asked to which Sasuke had told him that even if he had to live on the streets until he died he'd never let himself become the smelly hobo Naruto had allowed himself to become. Naruto had been very amused by his hobo status.

"Why don't you just strip off and bathe in the sink?" Naruto had been overjoyed when Sasuke had caught sight of his reflection in the mirror and been horrified by the greasy black spikes that made up his hair. He had then promptly decided to wash his hair with the hand soap. "You can get yourself a sponge and-"

"Shut up, please," Sasuke muttered from under the icy stream of water from the tap. He hoped he wouldn't get a cold afterwards. Naruto started to laugh.

"You're so snobby, Sasuke. Even when you've slept in a doorway and lived with a drug lord, you still haven't lost your snobbiness!" Naruto clapped his hands together merrily. "Just wait 'til I tell people about this! You're such a fag!"

Sasuke ignored him and pumped the pink hand soap into his palm before rubbing it into his hair. Being hand soap the lather wasn't great but hopefully it would be able to budge the grease and dirt that had accumulated. Naruto watched him keenly from the neighbouring sink. "You look very professional. Maybe you could open a salon." Sasuke shot him a death glare which ended up lopsided when soapy water trickled into his right eye. He growled to himself.

"Still, hats off to you. I kinda want to wash my hair now. It looks like fun. Will you wash my hair for me, please, Sasuke?" he asked.

"Not in a million years." Naruto pouted and hopped off the sink, bending over like Sasuke was so that he could be eye level with his companion.

"But I don't know how to do it."

"You don't know how to wash your hair?" Sasuke asked flatly. Part of him didn't doubt that.

"No! I've lived here for most of my life and nobody's ever taught me. I mean, I lived with an adult for most of my childhood but… we were _men_! He wouldn't have _washed_ my _hair_!" Naruto stared beseechingly at him, playing his child card. Sasuke was becoming more accustomed to Naruto's inconsistent moods. He was starting to remember something about orphans having difficulties with expressing themselves correctly from his sociology class at his school. He wondered briefly whether anybody had noticed his unannounced departure from the school.

"Turn on the water and stick your head under it, idiot. It's common sense not nanoscience." Naruto repeated what Sasuke had said in a snotty, high-pitched voice, stumbling on 'nanoscience', but did as he said. "Make sure you've got all of your hair wet," Sasuke instructed. Sasuke started to wash the soap out of his hair. Naruto managed to wet his hair just fine, but somehow half of the water he had used ended up on the floor and soaking Sasuke's shoes and trouser legs. Sasuke glared at him as he went to dry his hair with their sleeping blanket.

"What now, Sasuke?" Naruto asked pathetically from the sink. Sasuke looked over at him.

"Get some soap and rub it in. You saw me do it," he huffed. He had little patience for Naruto in his childish mood – and he couldn't tell if the boy seriously didn't know how to wash his own hair or was just winding him up. Naruto clumsily pumped some of the hand soap into his palm and imitated Sasuke's actions, a look of intense concentration on his face. Sasuke was amused by how much effort it took to perform such a simple task.

Naruto decided that he did not like washing his hair. Staying bent over was hurting his back, the cold water was giving him a headache and rubbing in the gunky soap was making him pant with effort. How did Sasuke look so cool doing it? He really did feel like an idiot now.

Sasuke jumped up on the sink beside him to watch his struggle with cleanliness. Naruto felt irritated, very aware that this was exactly what he'd been doing to Sasuke. So, this is what it felt like when the shoe was on the other foot. Naruto clenched his jaw and bit the inside of his cheek to stop him from telling Sasuke to stop annoying him. Sasuke tapped his feet on the dirty enamel of the sink in an irregular rhythm.

Naruto stopped rubbing his head and turned on the water again to wash it out. He bared his teeth at the cold water on his scalp and hastily scrubbed out the soap. When he was done, Sasuke handed him the blanket to dry his hair on. Naruto blotted his hair miserably.

"Our blanket isn't going to keep us warm if it's all wet," Naruto said grudgingly to Sasuke. Sasuke gave a little shrug of his shoulders.

"That's okay. I'm clean now so it balances it out a bit." Naruto slid the blanket off of his head. Sasuke was surprised into widening his eyes when he saw Naruto's clean hair. It had been a brown-blond before – more mousy than blond. Now it was a bright yellow, as startling as his blue eyes. Naruto frowned at him.

"What?" He muttered moodily, feeling his face for something on it. He peered at his reflection in the mirror and cracked a smile. "Hey! It hasn't been this colour for ages!" Sasuke looked down at the sink Naruto had washed his hair and saw what he had expected to see: dirty brown water from possibly months of grime.

Naruto was making faces at himself in the mirror, ruffling his damp spikes and waggling his eyebrows admiringly at himself. Sasuke joined him, checking his own clean hair. He really did feel that much better for having a little wash. He'd have to find time to wash properly, no matter how much Naruto laughed at him. Sasuke fixed his bands and finger-combed the rest of his hair and then exited the bathroom. Naruto gave his reflection a wistful glance as he left.

* * *

"This is the pleasure district," Naruto announced, his voice full of grandiose. He seemed proud of the street of intimate pink lighting, naked or scantily dressed women, rich and poor men looking for sex and a babble of voices, moans and feminine giggles. Sasuke was a quarter shocked, a quarter disgusted and a quarter horrified. Shamefully, the last quarter was intrigued. Had there not been the women selling themselves, it would have looked like a simple street event where the rich-poor boundaries could be lowered and everybody was having fun. Sleaze was obviously something rich and poor men had in common.

"Hey handsome! You want some?" A busty woman in a school uniform that would have gotten any schoolgirl expelled on the spot pulled open her shirt and gave Sasuke a view of two very big, very _bouncy_ breasts. Sasuke was stunned into freezing. Naruto answered cheerfully for him.

"We're just browsing," he replied cheekily. The woman giggled, her chest still displayed for the whole world to see.

"We're doing Sex Ed at our café, half price," she said alluringly, hiking up her pleated skirt to show that she was wearing no panties. Sasuke looked as though he was about to pass out. "You can have a feel if you want. Test that I'm, err…" she put her finger in her mouth seductively: "good quality." She took Naruto's wrist, and then Sasuke's, and placed a hand on either breast. "Have a squeeze! It's on me!" Naruto squeezed without hesitation and gave her an approving smile. She looked at Sasuke expectantly, who gave a little squeeze just to save face. His heart fell into his stomach when the whore pouted. Naruto started laughing.

"You can squeeze harder that that, cutie! It seems you need Sex Ed _straight _away!" She placed her hand over Sasuke's and 'helped' him to squeeze her breath. Sasuke was mortified – his brain had been wiped so that all he could think about was how awful he felt. He could feel her hard nipple rubbing against his palm; hear Naruto cheering him on; hear the slut's wanton moans…

"Sorry lady, my friend's not been feeling so good. I wouldn't want him to barf all over your beautiful rack," Naruto told the whore. The prostitute stepped away from Sasuke so fast she almost fell in her five inch heels. Naruto shook the paralysed Sasuke into consciousness and tugged him away from the busty whore.

"Sorry about that. They get overexcited on Fridays and Saturdays. They're the best business days, understandably. But seriously… that was seriously un-cool. What happened to your confidence? Are you still a virgin, Sasuke?" Naruto mocked, still holding onto Sasuke's arm as he lead him down the street towards Sakura's café.

"No," Sasuke managed sourly, looking away from Naruto. Naruto gave a 'woo!' from beside him, congratulating him for 'boning a rich chick'.

"Aren't you the dark horse? What would daddy have said if he'd known his little prince was out cavorting with the lady-folk?" Naruto realised what he'd said too late. A brief silence followed his taunt. Sasuke wrenched his arm away. Naruto's expression softened as he started to apologise. "Sorry, I didn't think. You know me – moron, idiot, retard. I didn't mean anything."

"Just leave it."

Naruto bit his lip and carried on walking toward Sakura's brothel. He felt awful now. So much for a nice day. He just hoped Sasuke wouldn't take it too badly and turn angry again. He thought they'd been getting on remarkably well today. Almost-but-not-quite-friendly, in fact. He almost-but-not-quite liked Sasuke just a little bit, even.

Naruto cleared his throat. "So, erm, this is the brothel where my, err, friend, Sakura works. She'll help you out if you ever need something as long as you're nice to her every once in a while," Naruto didn't explain what he meant by 'nice'. "Hopefully she won't be busy." He opened a brothel door and stood aside for Sasuke to enter. The concierge leapt on Sasuke straight away.

"Welcome, sir, to our café. Would you like to see the 'menu'?" She asked. She was wearing only a black see-through thong. Sasuke ignored her and Naruto stepped forward.

"Is Sakura available?" Naruto asked her, running his eyes appreciatively over her body. The concierge picked up the bookings book to check Sakura's appointment page. She played with her breast idly as she did so, scaring the hell out of Sasuke and putting on a show for Naruto. Sasuke wondered if he could ever grow used to this way of life. It was all too candid.

"She'll be free in ten minute. You could wait in our waiting room… I'd be happy to entertain you for a small fee." Naruto shook his head and led Sasuke over to the waiting room. Obviously, he'd been here many times before. Sasuke sat awkwardly beside Naruto too uncomfortable, for the first time ever, to sit away from him. Sasuke started watching the people entering and leaving the brothel. Observing. They fell into two categories: ashamed and guilty and scuttling away from the concierge or whooping and cheering and groping the concierge. It was disgusting. Mankind was disgusting.

"Sakura is ready to see you two," the concierge called to them a little while later. "Have fun now – you've got thirty minutes!" Naruto and Sasuke stood and walked up the stairs to Sakura's room.

"Nobody told me it was you who was coming to visit, Naruto," came a sultry voice from the room Naruto was entering. They had history, then. Sasuke walked in stiffly behind Naruto to see a slim girl with a pink jaw length bob and pale green eyes sprawled across a pink double bed. When she saw him, his expression changed to confusion, and then disappointment and then glee.

"You brought a friend, Naruto? Who's this?" She smiled a dazzling smile at Sasuke and licked her pink lips slowly. "Don't just stand there, then."

"Sakura," Naruto said seriously, but with a friendly smile on his lips. "We're not here for sex. I wanted to introduce you to Uchiha Sasuke; he's new on the streets." Sakura sat up, tucking her hair behind her ears and blinking her wide green eyes at them.

"Oh… okay…" she mumbled, moving over and patting the bed. "Let's talk then, since you don't want business. I'm charging though. I'm saving up for a termination." Her voice wavered a little but she stared defiantly at them both as if daring them to challenge it.

Naruto sat beside Sakura and Sasuke sat uncomfortably beside Naruto. Sakura regarded him keenly, interested in him. She slipped her arms around Naruto's neck and blinked at him. Naruto didn't look very happy about her clinging to him but let it pass.

"Uchiha Sasuke, huh? I've heard your family name mentioned around here plenty." She offered Sasuke her hand and he shook it uncertainly. "Polite as anything. Not that I've ever done _real_ business with an Uchiha." Naruto cut her off.

"Is this your idea of polite exchange?" He asked her, and she kissed his nose.

"Look at you, all polite and fancy. He's rubbing off on you. Just look at your hair!" Sasuke felt oddly excluded. Naruto coughed and drew the attention back to Sasuke.

"I need you to be able to help him if he ever needs it. He's got no contacts out here except me so far, but I'm going to introduce him to Kiba and Jiraiya and a few others just to get him going. Can you do that for me?" Sakura nodded, smiling at Sasuke somewhat predatorily.

"I'm not doing it for you! I'd be happy to 'help' him any time. And why you introducing him to that creepy old man? He came in here and paid everyone for a session to draw pictures. It's so gross!" She wrinkled her nose. Sasuke raised his eyebrows at Naruto in a look that asked him why she was so bothered about pictures when she fucked men for a living. He couldn't say he liked Sakura very much. She seemed an idiot, needy and far too loud. "So, gorgeous, I'll give you a free go once you've settled in. A test run, if you like." Sasuke managed to keep cool this time.

"That would be nice," he told her, and Naruto let out a chuckle. Sakura slipped her hand under Naruto's shirt.

"What would you two say to a quick go now? You've got thirty minutes." Sasuke stared pleadingly at Naruto. Naruto could have cried with laughter. Sasuke's eyes were _screaming_.

"Can't, sorry." Naruto said, gently peeling her off him. "We're on a tight schedule."

* * *

"This is the boozer's circle," Naruto announced, swinging his arm around a circle of crates, sandbags and other makeshift seats. They were empty. Sasuke looked at him questioningly.

"Where are the drunks, then?" he asked, kicking at a bottle at his feet. It rolled across the floor melancholically.

"The preferred term is 'boozers' at the moment," Naruto corrected, "and the party only starts at night. They'll be getting drunk now and will meet here later to dance, belch and throw up together. It's a lovely community." Naruto sighed theatrically. "If you ever need a place to stay and you want people around you, join these people. They'll take you in, give you a free drink and have you laughing or crying all night. Don't antagonise anyone though – they give mean black eyes and bottles make good weapons."

Sasuke nodded, looking around the circle once more. It didn't seem like a great place to go, but then again he'd never been a drinker. He'd only ever drunk wine or champagne at dinner parties or his father's whisky when Itachi stole some.

"A good boozer contact to have is Kiba. He's a great guy and usually knows what he's doing. Anything you need to know, ask him. He's got expertise in drugs, whores and booze, of course. I'll introduce you to him when we find him. I've got a good idea as to where he is…"

* * *

They found Kiba sitting, intoxicated, outside a butcher's. Akamaru was whining at the meat being displayed in the window and the butcher inside was glaring at Kiba with the utmost fury. Naruto nudged Sasuke and indicated the butcher. Sasuke looked appalled by Kiba. Naruto crouched down in front of his friend and knocked on his forehead. Kiba's eyes opened, unfocused and bloodshot.

"Wha' do you wan'?" He asked Naruto, almost knocking him out with the amount of alcohol on his breath. Naruto fanned the air with his hand, recoiling.

"I've said it before and I'll say it again: Kiba, you smell like a brewery." Naruto laughed and beckoned Sasuke over to them. "Get close to his face, Sasuke, or he won't see you." he whispered. Self-consciously Sasuke put his face in Kiba's direct line of view. Akamaru barked a booming bark beside him, making him jump and fall back.

"Shut that bastard up!" Kiba shouted drunkenly, and Naruto grabbed Akamaru's ruff to quiet him. The dog promptly wagged his tail and slurped a tongue over Naruto's wrist. Sasuke wrinkled his nose in disgust.

"Why do you let him lick you? Do you know what it's been eating?" Sasuke hissed, moving away when Akamaru stepped towards him with a friendly wag.

"He can't be dirtier than me," Naruto replied blithely, rubbing Akamaru's head. Sasuke gave Naruto an incredulous look and stood up.

"Who's tha'?" Kiba asked, pointing vaguely at Sasuke. Naruto grinned.

"That, Kiba, is Sasuke. U-chi-ha Sa-su-ke! Do not forget him, please." Kiba looked blearily at Sasuke.

"The Uchiha that didn't burn?" He mumbled quietly. Kiba's eyelids fluttered and closed. Naruto winced, turning his face away from Sasuke to hide his chagrin at the second reference, and shook Kiba.

"Yes, Uchiha Sasuke wasn't in the house." Naruto gave Sasuke an apologetic look. Sasuke shook his head to indicate he didn't mind. Kiba was drunk; he didn't know what he was saying. "I want him to be able to go to you when he needs help, okay? Have you got that Kiba?"

"Yeah, yeah. Sure. The Uchiha that didn't burn needs help. Sha-shu-kay. Got it. G'night."

* * *

"This is the drug faction," Naruto announced, pointing at a lot of grey buildings and back alleys. It was oddly quiet. There was no rush of cars or babble of conversation. The area looked familiar to Sasuke, and he suspected he'd walked this area when he'd been off his head on drugs. "Not much to look at, but if you wander around for a little while you'll come across a dealer. It's a good way to make quick money in hard times as they always need someone to risk their lives to bring in new imports." Naruto scowled at the area. "Try not to come here too often."

"It'll be hard to stay away," Sasuke replied sarcastically. Naruto gave a tight smile.

"Harder than you'd think," he returned. "It's really not easy to make money here, and you need money. Do not involve yourself with these people. They're low lives and will drag you down with them."

A cold wind blew around them and Sasuke stuck his hands into his pockets. This area was undeniably sinister. "Point taken. Let's go."

* * *

"Back to the red light district?" Sasuke asked his companion. Night had fallen now and they were headed back to lights and laughter. Naruto nodded.

"Jiraiya lives above one of the whore-houses. Ooh, that's reminded me! Don't call them whores in front of Jiraiya. Call them prostitutes. For some reason he hates it when people call them whores." Naruto babbled. Sasuke nodded when Naruto checked to see if he was listening. "Jiraiya raised me. If no one else can help you out, he's your man. He's like a father to me. He's a bit of a pervert, but he's a nice guy."

"Isn't everyone you know slightly perverted?" Sasuke asked mildly, looking at his surroundings. As Naruto had hoped, Sasuke was mapping out everything in his mind and taking an interest. Rich people deserved more credit than Naruto had given them.

"More or less. Gaara isn't."

"Hn. That's Temari's brother?" Naruto nodded his affirmation.

They turned onto the red light district street they had been on earlier and Sasuke singled out Sakura's brothel to himself, pleased that he was finding his way around quicker than he'd anticipated. Whores swarmed towards them, desperate to sell as much as they could. Sasuke overheard two smoking whores – presumably on their breaks – discussing the reward money they would get if they slept with fifty people in one night.

Lanterns had been strung out from the top windows of each café to bathe the street with romantic light and change the appearance of the whores from heavily made-up, slightly frightening sexual creatures to beautiful goddesses. Sasuke found himself being drawn to the stunning women with soft voices and subtle advances. This was _much_ better than the bold, busty hooker from before.

They reached a fancy inn. The concierge was dressed up in an elegant black cocktail dress and greeted them politely, ushering them in to what appeared to be a dinner party. The only difference was that hookers were leading their 'dates' to rooms upstairs and that instead of food there was drink. Naruto nudged Sasuke in the side with his elbow.

"This is the classiest brothel in the city on weekends. I'm gonna tell you that it's definitely not all bad." He gave Sasuke a second to absorb his surroundings. "C'mon, Jiraiya's upstairs."

They clomped up the wooden stairs, hearing soft moans emanating from the various different rooms. Naruto led Sasuke down the corridor and up another flight. Jiraiya had it good by street-standards. Naruto knocked on one of the wooden doors. It opened and a tall, grey haired man opened it to them.

"Brat! What do you want now?"

"Some sake, a place to stay and breakfast would be nice." He grinned broadly. "This is Uchiha Sasuke." He ushered Sasuke forward. Jiraiya regarded him severely.

"You look like a smart kid. How d'ya end up with this idiot?"


	14. His embarrassing episode and his enemies

**Diamond in the Dirt**

**Warning: Rated M**

Author's notes: If you reviewed the last chapter you will know that I'm excited by this chapter. It's not THAT major, but I like it. It's nice. Well, enough of my babbling and enjoy chapter 14!

* * *

**Chapter fourteen  
His embarrassing episode and his enemy**

Naruto and Jiraiya had downed a copious amount of sake. The refilling of the funny square cups Sasuke had seen once or twice at home was endless. He'd only managed two refills before he started feeling terrible. He just hoped he wouldn't throw up. Naruto and Jiraiya were doing well, laughing loudly and gruffly at trivial things. Sasuke couldn't even follow the conversation.

In a way, being tipsy was blissful. There was this numbing warmth in his skull and his eyes kept rolling upwards to where they were more comfortable in a totally bizarre, yet nice way. He was tired and not tired at the same time. He felt really good; like he could just sit forever.

He watched Jiraiya pour more sake and shook his head when the bottle came his way, sending a frisson of thoughts rattling around his brain. _That was an odd sensation. _He gave a quiet puff of laughter.

"Sasuke," Naruto turned to him eagerly, a large grin on his face. "Tell 'im. Tell 'im I washed my hair today!" Ah, so _that's_ what they were talking about. _How trivial. _

"Yes, Naruto washed his hair today." Was it his imagination or did it sound as though he was talking through a mouthful of sweets? He saw Naruto say something in a triumphant voice. He was beginning to change his mind again about alcohol – it was quite frightening how much he was missing out on.

He moved so that he could lean against a wall. Surely the alcohol would be filtered out of his body soon. He already needed to go to the toilet – that was a good sign, wasn't it? He was vaguely aware that he was the centre of attention for a moment. He couldn't dredge up enough awareness, however, to feel self-conscious. He needed to relieve himself quite badly now.

"Where's the bathroom?" he asked Jiraiya.

"Straight down the hall. It's the last door." Sasuke stood up and Naruto began to splutter like an idiot. Sasuke paused, wanting in on the big joke.

"Sasuke, don't go! He's pointed you to one of the hooker rooms! The bathroom's next to the stairs." Sasuke sighed impatiently and exited, but not before he heard Jiraiya roar 'they're _prostitutes_! Show some respect, brat!'

He swayed as he stood in the bathroom, praying the alcohol's effects would wear of soon. He hated feeling unguarded. Vulnerability was something his father never excused which probably explained why, at the age of seventeen, he'd never felt this way – tipsy, as in. He knew that most people at his school had been drunk – stupid and immature, all they did was boast about throwing up and the embarrassing things they'd done. It had never sounded appealing to him.

He washed his hands and splashed cold water on his face, pleased that he looked okay. His eyes looked a bit strange but he didn't look too out of it. He was regaining some feeling in his fingers and lips now, anyway. He'd have to lay off this stuff in the future.

Back in the room, Naruto was splayed out on the floor and Jiraiya was bemoaning the end of the alcohol. Naruto's face was scrunched up in obvious nausea. Sasuke raised his eyebrows even though he knew Naruto wouldn't see the action. Sasuke sat down beside the nauseous blond feeling even better knowing that somebody else was worse off than him. He prodded his companion, who groaned and turned on his side.

"I feel sick. I shouldn't have had that last…" He didn't get to finish as he belched loudly and clapped a hand to his mouth. Jiraiya commanded Sasuke to drag him to the bathroom so that the room wouldn't smell like sick. Sasuke obeyed immediately, pulling the idiot back to where he'd just been.

Naruto dropped to his knees and deposited the contents of his stomach into the bowl with the awful sound of retching and splashing water. Sasuke grimaced, feeling his stomach tighten with sympathy. When Naruto's head emerged from the bowl he said: "I'm never drinking again". He was pale and greasy looking. No, drinking was definitely not attractive.

When Naruto had nothing more to throw up, they returned to Jiraiya's room. The old man was asleep with the bottle cradled in his arms.

Naruto rummaged through his drawers from a stomach settler. Said it worked miracles on hangovers and vomiting. He found the powder and poured a large amount onto his tongue where it fizzed and dissolved. Naruto wrinkled his nose afterwards, saying it tasted like crap. Shivering, he got under his blanket and closed his eyes.

Sasuke stood uncertainly now, pretty much sober. Naruto had hogged the only blanket. Sasuke looked around the room for inspiration, finding a wardrobe. If he couldn't find a blanket a few extra jumpers would do, hopefully. He opened it as quietly as he could and found, luckily, a woollen blanket. He took up his sleeping space beside Naruto and curled up, closing his eyes.

* * *

Sasuke turned over in his uncomfortable sleep on the hard wooden floor of Jiraiya's room. He was dreaming of something oh-so-familiar yet unfathomably impossible to place. He felt hot – too hot. He flung the blanket off of his body and opened his eyes, unseeing. Slats of light from the gas-lights outside shone through the ratty curtains Jiraiya had slung up on the windows, bathing the room in surreal light. He could hear quiet chatter coming from downstairs. Jiraiya was snoring loudly with his mouth wide open. Naruto was silent. Sasuke's eyes slid down to check on him.

His eyes were suddenly locked on the blond, unable to look away. He was so aware of his companion. His eyes traced Naruto's blond hair that was silver in the moonlight as it tangled at the crown, sloped forward to his forehead and criss-crossed over his skin. He followed the slope of his nose, the peak and trough of his barely-parted lips as he snored softly. The feel of the night was unreal: the lights were wrong, the sounds out of synch.

He'd done this before, hadn't he? He'd been drawn to someone in exactly the same way. It was too familiar.

He felt the muscles in his neck expand and contract, wetness sliding down his throat. He moved into a quadrupedal position using his knees and hands and leaned forward so that he hovered above his companion. Naruto didn't stir even when Sasuke's body cast a shadow over his eyes for all he boasted about being alert 24-7. Sasuke found himself chuckling but it sounded disconnected, like when a movie's soundtrack was a fraction of a second behind the image.

Sasuke lowered himself so that he was closer to Naruto's face. He planted an arm on Naruto's other side to keep his balance. His heart skipped in panic when he remembered what was to come. Pain. Nausea. Self-loathing.

Sasuke's short puffs of nervous breath ghosted over Naruto's face and the blond's eyelids twitched as his pupil's moved underneath them, instinctually searching for danger while the moron slept on. Sasuke swallowed again and dipped, closing the space between their faces. Sweat broke out over his body in a searing rush of heat as he touched his lips lightly to Naruto's. His stomach was churning. Sasuke pressed harder against Naruto's mouth, melding his lips to his open mouth. This felt _right_, in a terrifying way. Sasuke felt frightened tears in his eyes.

And then it was gone. Finished.

Naruto socked Sasuke in the side of the head, hitting the tender spot on his temple and sending him reeling.

"What he hell are you doing?" Naruto roared, making Jiraiya snort loudly in his sleep but (thankfully) not awaken. Naruto scrambled to his feet and moved as far away from Sasuke as he could. "What the-? You just _kissed_ me! You fucker! What the fuck!"

For two seconds, Sasuke was bewildered, uncomprehending, and then he blushed furiously. What had he just done? He was convinced this was just a horrible dream but when Naruto continued to stare at him in something akin to horror he became painfully aware that he had, indeed, just kissed another man. He'd just kissed Naruto. He was sweating profusely. His insides were on fire.

Evidently, Naruto saw that Sasuke was not himself. He hurriedly wiped his mouth and forced his body out of its defensive stance and appalled expression. He stepped tentatively towards Sasuke, whose mortified expression was very gradually transforming into a defiant and challenging one. Naruto decided that Sasuke had been sleep-walking. He'd suffered greatly – _something_ had to be wrong with him.

"Jeez, Sasuke, do you have any idea how hard it was for me to get to sleep?" Naruto tried to put Sasuke in a better position to recover from his embarrassing episode. Sasuke turned away from him sullenly, his face still a brilliant red from the blush. Naruto opened his mouth to say something more but couldn't find the words that would simply erase this humiliating scene. He settled back down to sleep with an anxious look at Sasuke and a funny tingling in his lips.

Sasuke sat down on his makeshift bed and stared at the wall, determined never to look at Naruto ever again. He waited until Naruto's breathing became heavier and longer before he risked turning around, and then let himself be terrified by what had happened. There was no way he could sleep now – what if it happened again?

_Shit_, he was so fucked up. What had possessed him-?

He touched his lips in horror and twisted his face into disgust at his actions. No excuses could get him out of this, surely. 'Oh, sorry, I got up to use the toilet, tripped and kissed you'. Haha. Yeah, right. Even if he managed to trick the moron into buying an excuse he'd still want an explanation for himself. He'd rather not allow guesswork to keep him wondering about Orochimaru, Kabuto and that stupid night.

So he sat there 'til morning even when his eyes screamed for sleep. He could have cried when the sun rose – he was so relieved that the night was over. It was one less painful reminder of what had transpired. Naruto stirred a few minutes after sunlight started coming through the curtains and Sasuke's relief was replaced by dread. Would he remember? Say anything?

"Eurgh…" Naruto groaned, cracking his eyes open and having a ray of sun burn his sensitive eyes. "I really shouldn't have had so much to drink." He was talking to himself. After a while he turned over, presumably to check on Sasuke, and was surprised to see him sitting up awake. "Have you been up since…?"

Inevitably Sasuke went red again despite his efforts to stay unaffected. Naruto looked at him apologetically and Sasuke wondered why _he_ was sorry when it was him that had done the … thing.

"You know," Naruto said quietly, "I get it. You were sleep-walking. These things happen." Sasuke almost laughed. In fact, he would've had the situation not been so mortifying. Naruto was just too… nice. Who did he think he was, trying to be nice to him? As if he needed kindness. Sasuke hrmph-ed noncommittally.

"Good morning," Jiraiya gruffed from his bed, snorting as he stretched his old body. Naruto and Sasuke looked at him sharply. They hadn't been conscious of the tension that had built up around them in that short while. "I've got a killer headache. Too much of what's good for you, eh, Naruto?" He gave a loud yawn and sat up, looking over at them.

"I'll drink to that," Naruto grinned wryly, massaging his temples with a pained expression. Jiraiya suddenly gave a yell and extracted the bottle from under him.

"Fuck!" he yelled coarsely, massaging his back. "Stuck me right in my bad bone." Naruto rolled his eyes at Sasuke, forgetting their night time problem until Sasuke turned red again. He inescapably started blushing himself. Jiraiya caught the embarrassment. "Is _that_ why you stick with him, Uchiha?" he asked loudly with an equally loud laugh.

"Shut up, you stupid pervert," Naruto snapped, ignoring that Jiraiya had actually (sort of) hit the nail on the head. "Is that all you ever think about? I thought living with hookers would have desensitised you." Jiraiya looked thunderous.

"What did I tell you about respect?" He growled, his long white hair almost bristling. Sasuke felt slightly intimidated by this man. "And what's with the fancy words, eh, brat? Wasn't my education good enough for ya?" Naruto glowered dourly at him. Sasuke suddenly understood his childish demeanour, at least a little bit. "It's that Uchiha, isn't it? Are you teaching this idiot to speak 'rich'?"

"He's got a brain like a sieve. I'm not sure it's possible to 'teach' him anything." Jiraiya let out a laugh at Sasuke's response. Naruto looked offended. Hurt, even.

"Hey, I might not have the best education but I'm not an idiot." _Really_, why did everybody think he was stupid?

"Stop whining, brat," Jiraiya drawled, scratching his stomach idly. Naruto crossed his arms across his chest. He felt ganged-up on, his head was throbbing and he really didn't want to be alone with Sasuke after… he shuddered at the memory. He felt a bit jealous of the attention Jiraiya was giving Sasuke. Jiraiya was _his_ father figure, not Sasuke's.

"Are you pouting, moron?" Sasuke asked him with a frown. Naruto blinked at him, caught out.

"No," he replied too quickly. He was glad to see the smug smirk back on Sasuke's face though. Hope that things would return to normal quickly shone through.

Downstairs somebody started banging what sounded like two pieces of metal together. Sasuke looked at Naruto and Jiraiya for an explanation. "That's the end of the night 'bell'. Everyone has to go home and the hookers have to tidy their rooms. There'll be another one later for showers and breakfast," Naruto informed Sasuke, in tune to his curiosity about the everyday things. "You could probably grab a shower, too, you know." He hid a smirk behind his hand as Sasuke glanced wistfully at the door.

"Oh you'd like that, wouldn't you, boy?" Jiraiya growled, clipping Naruto's ear. Naruto yelped and scuttled away from Jiraiya, clutching his ears. Sasuke let out a delighted laugh, deciding he liked Jiraiya - until he was hit around the back of the head. Soon he was at Naruto's side with his hands pressing down on the throb Jiraiya had caused.

The clanging downstairs started up again, and they heard doors being opened and the sound of the prostitutes chatting to each other and their high heels clicking smartly on the wooden floors. Jiraiya heaved himself to his feet. "C'mon, boys. You get your breakfast. I'm going to talk to the old hag." Naruto bit back a laugh and Sasuke looked confused.

They all stood and Naruto led Sasuke down the stairs as Jiraiya walked down the hall to another room. Sasuke wondered what Jiraiya was doing and the possibilities made his ears burn. Jiraiya was _old_. He shook his head slightly, trying to clear it of such thoughts. He looked forwards at Naruto and his uncomfortable thoughts were immediately replaced by a horrible 'whoosh' in the pit of his stomach and even _more_ discomfort. _What _had_ he done?_

Naruto's silence wasn't making him feel any better. He kept turning the moment over and over again. He'd _kissed_ Naruto.

* * *

"Are you sure you don't want to have a shower?" Naruto said glibly to Sasuke as they watched the prostitutes leave the breakfast hall (that had been the dinner party the night before) to shower. He made sure he kept his voice down to avoid another punishment. His ear was still red from the clip he had received. They'd eaten their fill and had spent the last five minutes observing the eating habits and conversations of the temptresses. Thankfully, with so many prostitutes to occupy their attention, the incident had gone unmentioned and both felt more at ease around each other.

"I'm not sure I do," Sasuke replied, still recovering from a comment a hooker had made about 'eating meat' that had made him want to become a vegetarian or cut off his penis. Naruto reached over the table to pick up an untouched piece of toast from a skeletal hooker. She smiled gratefully as she stood to join her colleagues in the queue for the showers. Naruto watched her leave pityingly. She looked like a baby giraffe on her spindly legs.

"I don't think she makes much, unless there are people into doing a skeleton." He commented to Sasuke, munching his pilfered toast. Sasuke gave a nod of agreement.

"She's quite refreshing if you compare her to that Akimichi girl." Sasuke gave a shrug. A corpulent prostitute had trodden on his foot on her way to her seat and he'd been glowering at her ever since. She'd eaten seven pieces of toast with chocolate spread.

"Maybe you get them combined if you ask for one of them," Naruto suggested, raising his eyebrows.

"What are you gossips whispering about?" Jiraiya boomed. They both cowered slightly. Both wiped their guilty expressions away.

"Nothing," they chorused hastily, until Naruto added: "Sasuke said he wanted to join the whores in the showers!"

* * *

Kabuto adjusted his glasses. Sasuke had been gone for three days now and Orochimaru was as near frantic as Kabuto had ever seen him. He'd even done a little sniffing earlier on, mooning around the house with wide eyes and a vacant expression, snapping at the delivery boys that came round. Kabuto had stayed out of his way and researched detectives.

He was tired, too. He'd done his best after Sasuke had slunk off, unnoticed. He'd set out looking for him and had been gone hours. He knew that Orochimaru had paid him a night time visit because he'd heard them in Sasuke's room. He didn't really approve of Orochimaru's penchant for games of cat and mouse but cared too little to really disapprove. Sasuke had obviously been extremely spooked – until now he'd thought it was impossible to leave the apartment unnoticed.

"Kabuto, what are you doing?" Orochimaru hissed at him, pointy teeth bared as he snarled at him. Kabuto leaned back in his chair and gave Orochimaru a cool smile.

"I'm looking up detectives. I want to find the dear boy as much as you." Orochimaru's eyes narrowed dangerously as he tried to discern whether Kabuto was daring to mock him or if he was being sincere. He stalked over to him silently and Kabuto was surprised that he was barefoot. The drug lord was hardly ever without his high-heeled shoes and boots. Two arms trapped Kabuto in his chair – a threat gesture disguised as amorous. Kabuto didn't flinch. He was used to Orochimaru.

"I have to get him back," Orochimaru said through gritted teeth. This was unusual. He was such a calm person. It had to be taken into consideration that he was usually in control of any situation, Kabuto mused, and he was not in control of this one. Sasuke had done something incredibly impressive, in a way.

"And we'll get him back. There'll be some fool who's seen him and will sell him out for a small sum," Kabuto soothed. Orochimaru placed his chin atop Kabuto's head and placed his hand over Kabuto's, which was resting on the mouse of the computer. A pleasurable shudder of fear crawled up Kabuto's spine. Orochimaru moved the cursor over the search engine text box and pressed on Kabuto's index finger to select. He typed in slowly _Uchiha Sasuke_.

"I've done that," Kabuto said quietly. "He's not been seen since the fire." Orochimaru clicked on images and Kabuto understood.

"Would you like to discuss who to give them to?" Kabuto suggested mildly. Orochimaru let the cursor hover over a picture of a young Sasuke standing with his family in an old newspaper clipping. He clicked on a more recent photo of Sasuke from a corporate New Year's party, standing beside his older brother and father. With that slimy Fugaku's arm around his two sons' shoulders in a 'proud' way the title 'heirs' was written all over the photo. Orochimaru's lip curled with loathing for the older man.

"Cut Sasuke out of this photo," Orochimaru ordered Kabuto silkily, and Kabuto knew that he smirk was back on his face. He'd come up with a plan. "I want the boy back before this week is out." He retracted his arms and stalked off, hair swishing over his shoulders like an onyx waterfall. Kabuto watched him go. He was a very impressive man: powerful and dangerous. Thoughts of him put goose pimples all over his skin.

Kabuto opened up his photo-editing software and started to alter the image of Sasuke and his family.

* * *


	15. Novelty and Normalcy

**Diamond in the Dirt**

**Warning: Rated M**

Author's notes: Thanks to all who reviewed, favorite-d and, of course, read. Very much appreciated and I am very glad you're enjoying my story. It's going to pick up now properly. You'll see a lot in the next few chapters. Enjoy this one, and sorry it's late.

* * *

**Chapter fifteen  
Novelty and normalcy **

The novelty of poverty soon wore off, and by the next week Sasuke was already used to the hand-to-mouth existence. He'd eaten a sandwich he'd pulled out from the bin. He'd 'taken a dump' in a park. He'd spent a horrible night with the boozers where Naruto had been so drunk he'd tripped over a sandbag and had passed out, forcing him to mingle with raucous men and extremely unattractive women.

Sasuke was glad that he felt like he was floundering rather than drowning. He could move around freely without Naruto (he chose not to most of the time) and was beginning to recognise faces.

On the other hand, without the distraction of having so much to take in he was free to think about his family. With Orochimaru he'd been too suspicious to let himself stray into grief territory in case something bad happened. Out here he felt strangely safe and able to ponder all he wanted. He hadn't voiced this to Naruto, but he was beginning to get the ache in his chest that constricted him.

He'd learned a lot about Naruto, too. Stupid things like what hot drinks he liked (hot chocolate) and his favourite type of job (gardening or sweeping). He was letting himself lean on Naruto just a little bit.

Naruto knew some things about him. He knew he liked his tea black, he hated working because he was lazy and liked to read. Naruto had offered him a book a couple of nights ago that he'd found in a train station and had been sitting his bag for at least three months. He'd read it before, but it was nice. To have a piece of home was nice. He'd been quite pleased.

The brief spell of sun had been replaced by drizzle now, which made Sasuke miss his bedroom properly for the first time. Naruto had told him that drizzle was good, that it meant that spring was beginning and that leaves would grow back on trees. Like Sasuke was an idiot and didn't know about weather. Sasuke didn't share Naruto's optimism. He hated being wet all the time.

It was night again and while Naruto snored on, Sasuke was restless and wide awake. He hadn't slept properly since that stupid kiss, managing only a few hours before he was jerked awake by fear. Naruto seemed to have forgotten all about it, making Sasuke bitter towards him every time sundown came.

He'd snoozed for a bit with Naruto when they'd first settled down but had woken up after a nightmare that had had him gasping when he woke up. Naruto had been leaning against his arm, something Sasuke had quickly rectified with a mean shove. He'd watched the shadows tensely for three-quarters of an hour after waking, just in case the monsters of his nightmare were around.

His stomach growled and he sighed miserably. He wished he could just sleep. He sent Naruto a poisonous glare for having what he wanted. The blond simply snuffled and slept on. He heard a crash of metal in a nearby street and almost jumped out of his skin in fright, heart racing with the sudden adrenalin rush.

"Hey! Mister! Help me out, will ya?" At the end of their alley was a short figure with his hands on his hips staring bossily at them. Naruto blinked drowsily at the kid and then returned to the realm of sleep. Sasuke wrinkled his noise at the poor quality of the boy's speech.

"What do you want?" Sasuke asked standoffishly.

"You're the one that was kissing him!" the kid accused him furiously and marched towards them. Sasuke's heart plummeted to his stomach and blood rushed to his face. Was Naruto _telling _people? He wanted to die. "You're gay!"

Naruto growled, eyes still closed. The kid jumped back and raised his fists, looking ridiculous. Sasuke arched an eyebrow at the kid, hoping it was too dark for him to see the blush on his cheeks. Naruto sat up, frowning at Sasuke first and then, seeing that it wasn't Sasuke who was making the noise, at the kid. He groaned.

"Konohamaru!" he snarled loudly. Sasuke was taken aback. "I'm not giving you my fucking blanket, food or… or… fuck off! I'm tired."

"You got you boyfriend back, mister!" Konohamaru said adamantly. He walked towards them and faltered when he was a few paces away. "Can I stay with ya? The orph'nage is out to get us tonight. Please?" He squeezed his eyes shut and bowed his head, jamming a thumb in his mouth. Sasuke stared at poor ugly Konohamaru and felt some pity. Naruto gave a sigh of exasperation.

"Will you go to sleep?" he asked. Konohamaru nodded. "C'mon then." Konohamaru sat down beside Naruto and curled up like a slightly deformed, very podgy cat. Naruto settled back down to sleep too, and waited for Sasuke to do the same. "Aren't you tired, Sasuke?"

"Not really," he lied. Naruto looked at him sceptically and raised his eyebrows. Sasuke returned his look with a warning one. "It's not that."

"Then sleep. It'll be okay." Sasuke hrmph-ed and tried to settle down. Naruto leaned against him and after a while he leaned too, for warmth. Konohamaru had made himself comfortable on Naruto's outstretched legs. He still couldn't bring himself to risk closing his eyes, however, and spent the remainder of the night observing Konohamaru as he spoke in his sleep about 'stupid kids' and 'bad smells'. When the sun rose and Naruto and Konohamaru woke up he was exhausted.

Naruto was worried. "You should really try to get some sleep, y'know. It's not good for you, especially since you're not eating much." Sasuke had frowned at him.

"I'm fine. Stop fussing." He sneezed afterwards and all of a sudden he had a cold. He didn't have a very good immune system. When it rained he got sick, when the sun shone he got heatstroke and if news travelled of a bug going around he caught it. Sasuke was surprised he hadn't caught something sooner, he'd been subject to so much. Naruto flapped around uselessly when Sasuke started shivering and sweating, eyes and nose streaming and with a temperature. Konohamaru seemed to find it amusing to breathe in Sasuke's air and pretend he was running a fever as well. Naruto eventually pushed Sasuke on the floor to sleep and wrapped his neck in his long scarf.

"I told you to sleep. See what's happened now!" He was frantic. Had no idea what to do. Konohamaru didn't help either. "I'm going to get you some juice. That's what you do when you're sick, right? Drink juice?" He looked uncertainly at Sasuke, who nodded groggily and tried to force his achy body to get better.

"Orange juice," Sasuke told him through chattering teeth. "It has vitamin C in it." He didn't really know that juice had any medicinal properties, but something was better than nothing. Naruto nodded and started to dash off but then stopped suddenly.

"Konohamaru, look after him. Don't go away!" Konohamaru gave him a retarded salute and promptly plonked his funny form at Sasuke's side. Sasuke wanted to die, feeling his throat close up and wondering if he'd live long enough for Naruto return with some semblance of treatment. In a typical series of unfortunate events it started to rain. Not just drizzle either: big drops of cold rain that soaked straight through the blanket and his clothes. If he didn't die of pneumonia it'd be a miracle.

Sasuke focused on his breathing during the time Naruto was gone. He couldn't muster enough willpower to try to breathe through his stuffy nose so he made do with shallow breaths that hurt his chest and made him cough. Konohamaru, as expected, found this all very exciting and commenced prodding him every time his shallow breaths were replaced by heavier rasping ones.

Thankfully Naruto whomped him hard on the head when he returned to find the kid lifting Sasuke's blanket off him to see him curl up in a pitiful way to keep his shivering body warm. He twisted open an orange juice and handed it to Sasuke, helping him to sit up and fussing worse than a mother.

"Are you okay? It's raining; shall we go to a hospital? What can I do?" It was frustrating, to say the least, but a little part of him liked the attention. He'd almost forgotten what it was like to have somebody take care of him.

"Just get me someplace dry," Sasuke managed, self-loathing kicking in at his neediness. He reasoned with himself. That he was sick. He didn't know what to do without his mother's trusty medicine cabinet. That he got sick quite easily. He didn't know if it'd get worse. He touched the side of the cold bottle to his burning forehead, and then rolled it down to his cheek. It felt soothing. He could think a little straighter.

Naruto slid an arm under Sasuke's shoulders, taking his companion's weight to get him up. "I could give you a piggyback," Naruto offered. Konohamaru started clamouring annoyingly. Sasuke still managed to produce a very scathing expression, despite his scarily glassy eyes and pink flush.

Naruto touched his hand to Sasuke's cheek, recoiling when he felt how hot his friend was. Sasuke snapped at him for invading his personal space, forgetting that he was using the blond as a cane. Naruto ignored him and helped him down the street and towards the people he knew. He could only hope that somebody would let them in.

Konohamaru took this opportunity to win over the adults' friendship and get himself two prestigious (amongst brats, anyway) contacts. "I know where there's a lodging house!" He announced, pointing in a north-westerly direction. Naruto changed direction without breaking a step – Sasuke stumbled but Naruto held him tight – and headed towards the lodging house. Skipping with glee Konohamaru took the lead, revelling in the power he'd gained.

He walked, or rather skipped, much too fast for one person supporting another but Naruto followed him solidly, perspiration and rainwater mingling on his forehead. Sasuke dragged slightly, but did his very best not to show weakness.

The lodging house was fifteen minutes away. Sasuke could not see the end of the walk and was rapidly losing his will to keep his legs moving. His eyelids had drooped more than once in a terribly alarming way. His body was aching and his eyes burned with fever. His breathing was laboured. He'd never felt so ill in his life. He hated his stupid weak body for giving up on him at the worst time.

Konohamaru left them standing at the gate to negotiate with one of the other older brats, gesticulating wildly and yammering loudly until a password was requested and he lowered his voice to a very poor whisper. He gave Naruto a toothy grin when the door opened. His front tooth was chipped quite badly.

The child who manned the front door was absurdly tiny. He practically hung from the door knob as he held the door open respectfully for the elders. Naruto gave him once glance before brushing past him as coolly as he could manage with Sasuke's worryingly quiet body weighing him down.

The house reeked of urine and Sasuke felt worse than ever. Naruto sat him down on a clean space on the floor away from the grabbing hands of young children and out of earshot of the few toddlers that were being raised there. Sasuke was too ill to think too much about their poor quality of life at such a young age but he did feel an ache in his heart when a young girl came to him carrying a toddler of about three to offer him medicine. She couldn't have been more than thirteen years old and sounded older than him.

She returned swiftly minus the toddler but with a bottle of medicine and spoon-fed him a little of it. She promised him a clean bed for rest in a quiet room upstairs. She was so mature. Reminded him of his mother…

"How is he?" Naruto asked the girl worriedly, looking down at his companion and chewing his lip. She was startled, unaware of his presence at first and then offered a kind smile.

"He'll be okay. Lot's of people get sick. We've got medicine." She rubbed her face self-consciously, as if under scrutiny.

"That's good. That's really good." Naruto said with relief.

"Is he your brother?" She didn't mean 'by blood', Naruto understood, but who he'd grown up with.

"Oh. No. He's just with me until he knows what he's doing. His family died. He used to be rich."

"Ah, okay. It's just that you look very close to your friend." She touched Sasuke's forehead. "He'll be okay once he gets some sleep. You can sleep too, if you're tired. Just ignore the others if they disturb you."

Naruto decided he liked her very much. For a brat, she wasn't very brat-ish. She could be living on the streets by now, independent, easily. She'd had a good upbringing by the looks of it, like he had, and could cope alone at a younger age. He'd left Jiraiya at twelve.

"What's your name?" he asked her.

"Sasame," she replied.

"And how old are you, Sasame?"

"I'm fourteen years old." She gave him a long look. "And before you ask me why I don't 'ditch the brats', it's because I don't want to. I like them. I was raised by my big brother, so I'm doing the same for them." Naruto held up his hands.

"I wasn't going to say a thing. It's admirable, though, to live with these kids." He looked pointedly at Konohamaru, who was tussling with another boy. "I can't stand the brats. I lived with them for a while when I was younger when Jiraiya couldn't take me in. But…" he frowned deeply, suddenly. "There was somebody like you who looked after the other kids. I can't remember his name…" Sasame waited expectantly until Naruto shook his head, memory failed him. Now that he had remembered something important it wouldn't stop nagging him until he knew the full information, as these things tended to do.

"Well, somebody has to make sure they stay out of trouble. The amount of children lost every year sickens me. I want to change that."

"I guess," Naruto said, unconvinced. He didn't disagree that the fact that the government let children on the streets die because they didn't want to spend money on the poor despicable but still couldn't find enough patience to take on a houseful of loud, smelly, disrespectful, bed-wetting, stupid kids. "Do you want me to take him upstairs? He's quite heavy."

Sasuke had fallen asleep, so Naruto slipped his arm behind Sasuke's knees and another under his shoulder blades to lift him and carry him up the stairs. It was tough to carry the limp Sasuke up the rickety flight of stairs. He thought he'd fall down backwards twice, but thankfully didn't. Sasuke woke up, of course, and was furious at how undignified his situation was.

"Put me down, you idiot! What the hell do you think you're doing?" he yelped thickly when he opened his eyes to see Naruto's chest and neck at eye level and couldn't feel ground below his feet. He'd squirmed, but stopped when Naruto threatened to hold him tighter.

"Oh, Sasuke-bastard, you know I only do this because I love you," Naruto teased, making every child in the vicinity giggle naughtily and make jeering comments. "Just shut up, all of you. You're not being clever."

Sasuke couldn't help it. His cheeks turned pink with mortification. He hated Naruto. Hated the moron for making him stupid. Making him weak. He'd probably caught his stupid cold off the idiot. He could hardly call himself an Uchiha anymore, goddammit. He was being carried _bridal_ style. He was being _mocked_ by children half his age or younger. And yet…

It wasn't that bad. He felt he could be a little… sheepish. And lie back and take it. Laugh about it one day. Hn. Must be the fever talking. He lay still in a defeated manner. Naruto grinned.

"Stop sulking. It's childish."

"You're one to talk," Sasuke muttered back sourly. Naruto surprised him by tipping him onto his feet, making him sway dangerously but catching him before he fell. He glared at the shit-eating grin present on his companion's face.

"Now, now," Naruto scolded. Sasame scuttled forward to make up Sasuke's bed on the floor. He felt worse knowing that a little half-pint was taking care of him. That was a million times worse than Naruto. At least Naruto purposely patronised him to wind him up – this was unintended, which made it so much worse. Sasame even folded back his duvet, ready for him to climb into.

"Go to sleep for a bit and I'll come back to give your medicine in a while." Sasuke cringed internally as he slid into his bed and pulled the cover over his head.

"Goodnight, Sasuke-bastard," Naruto cooed. He was unable to ignore any opportunity to taunt the rich kid. It was too big a temptation to resist.

Sasuke heard Sasame and Naruto leave him alone, closing the door to muffle the sounds of the crèche downstairs. Sasuke let out a deep breath. He felt okay now. Just a bit anyway. The medicine the girl had given him had relieved his fever symptoms so that he wasn't shivering so violently and had cleared his airways. His eyes were still over-moist though, and a teardrop would build up and trickle down the side of his face.

The half-light under the duvet was peaceful; calmed him. His mind wandered as he rested. He remembered the last time he had been sick – it had been a virus that had been going around at the time and he'd been in bed for ten days recovering on antibiotics. Itachi had caught it within three days of Sasuke and had bitched about it. Their mother had left them alone for the most part, checking on them every so often to see if they were hungry or felt worse. She'd stopped fussing so much once they were over seven. He couldn't remember his father ever asking him if he was okay.

He remembered it hadn't been that long before the fire. He'd been dragged out of bed, still feverish and ill, shoved into a smart tuxedo and they'd all gone to their father's corporate Christmas party. He'd sat in a cubicle in the bathroom for the last hour and a half reading, he was so sick and miserable. He'd been so glad to go home he'd fallen asleep in the car with his head on his mother's shoulder like a little child.

It was so hard to believe that this had all been such a short time ago. It felt like years had passed since then. The 'him' from that time was not the 'him' now. The 'him' then had been proud, stronger, colder. The 'him' now seemed so fragile. Breakable. So much had changed. Life had just kept on going. It hadn't stopped for the fire. Or the rape.

Sasuke rubbed his eyes furiously, digging his knuckles into his eyes sockets until the pain was unbearable and his eyes were bloodshot red and tender to touch. He pinched his arms viciously. Why was he so vulnerable now? He couldn't relax without thoughts attacking him when before he could lie in a blissful state of nothing without a care in the world. He wasn't tough anymore. He was as pathetic as the toddlers downstairs.

His face was, of course, stiff and stuck with the telltale signs of weakness. He opened and closed his mouth, cracking the salty film that had dried on his skin. He felt awful. His fever was coming back and the beginning of a headache was lurking between his eyes. He closed his eyes, hating the taunting wet that stuck his eyelashes together.

He breathed out a long shaky breath that composed him more than he would have guessed. He concentrated on getting to sleep, wiping his mind of thoughts and quashing his feelings. He'd managed until now. He wouldn't break down now.

He did fall asleep, but he just dreamt of strange things. Of Naruto washing the children's hair in the public toilets. Of Shikamaru and Temari offering him travel insurance. Of Orochimaru baking 'cocaine cookies' (something he couldn't discern as fiction or fact). He woke up in between these odd dreams feeling motion sick and dizzy. He wished somebody would come in so that he could ask them for something in case he threw up. It didn't help that he was so cold the only way he could control the strong tremors was to curl up into a tight ball with his knees hugged to his chest and his nose between them.

He heard little feet scuttle past his room and didn't call out to them. More hindrance than help. He wanted Naruto, if he was completely truthful. The blond had become his rock, whether he admitted it or not. He really was pathetic. He might as well put on a frock and swoon at any man that passed him. He'd never felt so bad about himself before.

He heard the door open and recognised the footfalls. It had to be Naruto, didn't it? He had the most perfect timing. Sasuke pulled the blanket off from over his face and stare defiantly at him; at the same time praying it didn't look as though he was 'in distress'. Naruto smiled at him.

"Did you get some sleep?" he asked neutrally. Sasuke couldn't know what he was thinking, and that annoyed him.

"A little."

"I think it's time for your medicine again in a minute. Not now, though. I only came up to see if you were okay. And because the brats drive me insane." Naruto looked oddly uncomfortable, Sasuke noted. Perhaps his eyes were still red? Was there a salty trail he'd missed? Sasuke had to rub his cheeks. Naruto's gaze didn't even flicker.

In the short silence, Naruto cleared his throat. "Sasame thinks it's just the stress you've been under. I didn't tell her the whole story. Just that you were new to the streets. You just need to sleep. That's good news, huh?" There _was_ something distinctively odd about Naruto's behaviour. Sasuke narrowed his eyes ever so slightly.

"Is there something you want to tell me?" Sasuke asked directly. Naruto's expression was unreadable, but his answer said enough.

"You don't need to worry about it."

* * *

Nobody rats out on their friends. They shouldn't. I never would. Not even for the most mature whisky on this planet. Not for the most expensive champagne. So, I suggested a ransom once. He was nothing then. Just a snotty bastard. But now he's a friend. By association, I'll grant, but I wouldn't sell him now. Ten thousand ryo would be appreciated, but he's asking the wrong guy.

Naruto has to know about this. Orochimaru's a twisted sonuvabitch. Who knows what he'd do to Naruto if he's found around his precious 'son'. They'll have to stay out of Orochimaru's way for a good while, I reckon. That man fears fuck all and he'll stop at nothing to get his way.

Akamaru's falling asleep, waiting out here like bastards for some guy. I'm not a good person, I know, helping along the drug process. But Naruto means a lot to me. We're the same, me and him, in a lot of ways. I couldn't do it to him. Sasuke means a lot to him, too. He's the guy with the big heart that wants to do something for everyone. But I'll admit that Sasuke's extra special to him.

I'm going to tell him as soon as I find him. He could be anywhere, but somebody has always seen him, somewhere. He has a lot of contacts. The list gets bigger every time I see him. He can't resist making friends. I guess it's because he lost his family so young – he just has to have lots of people to make up for it. Fuck knows where my old man is. I don't really care either. Alcohol's killed a sufficient amount off, I wager.

O mentioned Sai. I've heard of Sai. I've heard of most people. When you drink you find out more information than you can get at the shitty city tours office in the town centre. Sai's dangerous. Doesn't care who gets hurt. He's a hit man, detective and drug lord all rolled into one, supposedly. And that's about all the info I've got. It's not reliable, but it gives me an idea of urgency, right? He sounds like another Orochimaru.

I'll have to tell a few trusted. If they need a place to go or stay, other people will need to help out. You can't make two people invisible for nothing. I wonder what Sasuke did to get Orochimaru so crazy. That's another thing. Even if I hated him, I couldn't rat him out. I'd most certainly have his blood on my hands if he'd done something terrible.

It's cold out, and I'm making myself colder imagining Naruto in trouble with Orochimaru. No one would want him hurt. If something were to happen to him… he's a good guy. People would change. And if something were to happen to Sasuke, I reckon Naruto would beat himself up about it forever.

I'm going to tell them just as soon as I've got my drug money. I'll find 'em and get 'em hid somewhere. I'm more than willing to my ass and Akamaru's on the line for those two.

"You Kiba?"

"That's me."

"Where you want it?"

"Here." I open the barrel on Akamaru's collar, showing the runner the hollow inside. He doesn't look at all surprised but I suppose it's all in the business. He pokes the package through.

"Tell Mister O we need the cash by next week or we ain't getting more K for three months."

"Got it."

About the drugs thing… I'm not sure I mind being so dishonourable and bad. It does pay for my booze, which is definitely the highest point of doing the dirty work, but it's helped Naruto twice before. I found Sasuke didn't I? And now I'm helping them out of danger. Every cloud has a silver lining: isn't that applicable?

Three stops now. Orochimaru. Town. Naruto. I feel like a double agent. I won't get to sleep 'til morning, but it's good to help him out. That bastard had better not have put him in danger.

* * *


	16. Money, maladies and monsters

**Diamond in the Dirt**

**Warning: Rated M**

Author's notes: Hello, hello. This is a very speedy update because I'm off to Ireland for the weekend and won't be able to update then so I'm treating you all. Thank you for the encouraging words and read for last chapter. I'm glad you're enjoying this. I know it's been quite a slow ride but things will definitely pick up from here on out, okay? Erm, and please keep reviewing because I do love it when you do and I'm nearly at one hundred! Yay!

* * *

**Chapter sixteen  
Money, maladies and monsters**

I could watch him forever. I could have said he deserved it. That karma gets people like him – it does, but it shouldn't be after _him_. Has he done anything that awful? I don't care anymore about the mean things he's done to me. They're trivial anyway. Easily forgotten. I just want him to be well again. Will he ever get well if I tell him what Kiba told me? _What did he do?_

I can't tell if he's awake or not. He doesn't look very well at all and I wouldn't put it past him to pretend for some stupid pride reason. He's breathing deeply and his eyes are closed and all but… it doesn't feel like he's sleeping. It's like I'm just waiting for him to open his eyes again.

What changed? One minute he was this stupid snob, the next I'm desperately worried about him.

No, **when** did it change?

He's got a very light fever. His skin is clammy but no longer burning. I'm glad. Sasame's been up a few times and it's a bit embarrassing but I can't bring myself to leave him alone. He looked so lonely when I came back. Like an orphan should look. But orphan and Sasuke don't work together, do they? He knows it. He's so strong.

But isn't it all just piling up on him? Won't it get to be too much for him? Maybe it's just a cold, but what if he's failing? Collapsing? Why is it all going wrong for him?

I though the streets had been doing him good. He wasn't being a prick anymore. I like him a lot. Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe he's only not a prick anymore because the streets are sucking everything out of him. Some people just can't cope. I know that. I don't want him to get hurt.

They're offering ten thousand ryo for him. It's a large sum of money for people on the streets. Somebody will point him out sooner or later. It's a miracle that Kiba found out fast or Sasuke might have been taken by now. Thinking back on all the times we slept on the roadside – he was just _there_. I might as well have put a banner over his head and handed him over.

* * *

The picture wouldn't help much, but it did decrease the difficulty by about two percent. Sai stuck the photo into his notebook. He began to write up notes to go with it. Name, age, date of birth, school, known relatives… and then he began to doodle idly, letting his mind work. Alcoholics know the most. He would keep an eye on Orochimaru's employees for signs of drinking, and then offer a reward. Some might try to protect Sasuke by going to warn him. He'd track every single employee that he told.

Bugs. He'd bug them. If there weren't too many he could track them himself. Bugs were slightly more complicated.

He closed his notebook and slipped it into his jacket pocket. He'd tell Orochimaru to summon some alcoholics to work for him for double the normal wage for an urgent delivery. He'd know the real desperate ones then. They wouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth.

He'd already sussed out what Sasuke had done. Or rather, what Orochimaru had done. He was working on why Orochimaru wanted him back so badly. It wasn't as though his reputation would be tarnished when there were so many places offering exactly what he'd got from Sasuke. Money wasn't a huge issue. He'd work it out soon.

He was bargaining with himself. To ask Shikamaru or not. It was highly likely that Shikamaru would oppose helping him locate Sasuke – a ninety eight percent chance he would not help. It should have been obvious but Shikamaru's knowledge was valuable. He toyed with threatening him into it. But that would probably get him nowhere. Nara was much too decent. Too caring. He was a fool.

By this point, he was about sixty percent certain he would find Sasuke. The city wasn't really that big a place if you knew where to go. He smiled without humour to himself, buying an apple from a lady at a stall at the market. He told her to keep the change. He looked around idly as he walked through, munching.

He mused, now, about the little children who lived out here. They never knew better, did they? No, they knew little about selling out their comrades. If he could find a stupid little one he might find a lead. The chances were slim that a child he picked would know of Sasuke. Less than one percent. There were so many of them, picking the right one out would be like finding that metaphorical needle in a haystack.

He wouldn't discard that idea though. The children were all closely interlinked, like one huge family. One of them was bound to have some information about somebody among them who did know something. Or they'd try to help, possibly. He couldn't remember how the children worked. Irritating forgetfulness. He kicked his foot at a cat that stalked out in front of him, putting a hand to his head in irritation. The cat skittered off.

So, the children were out. If he couldn't remember, why should he take chances? That would teach him. He threw away the apple that he'd hardly eaten. A beggar shot him a dirty look that clearly cursed all who had money to spend. He shot him the same look, cursing all poor people for their disgusting presence. Still, he though mildly, he couldn't really curse them. He made his living tracking the bastards down and making sure they got what they deserved.

He set off again with a tuneless whistle.

* * *

"Well, your fevers gone and your cough's disappeared. I'd say you're fit and well." Sasame was obviously enjoying her doctor role. Sasuke gave a half-hearted cough to defy her. She laughed at his childishness and handed him a last dose of medicine to ward off any remaining fighter sickness. He downed it and got to his feet.

"Thank you." Thanking was painful, but he felt he owed it to her. She nodded and smiled.

"Don't worry about it. Are you and Naruto going anywhere from here?" she was being friendly, but Sasuke abhorred small talk at the best of times. At the worst of times it made him feel as though his brain was being rubbed with sandpaper. He sighed.

"I don't know." He sounded extremely irritated. He shouldn't have been so ungrateful but he'd never liked kids. Now that he was well the thought of Sasame tending to him made him want to shove her face into the ground. And he wasn't the most violence-impulsive guy. Sasame got the message though, and started tidying up the bed he'd occupied. He left the room without saying a word.

"Are you definitely good to go?" Naruto asked anxiously, startling him. Why was the idiot standing outside the door waiting for him? Jeez, what an idiot. Sasuke learned that he was in a particularly foul mood.

"Yes," he replied through gritted teeth. "For the thousandth time, yes."

"Ooh, I'm sorry I asked," Naruto muttered darkly, loudly enough so that Sasuke could hear him. A glower was sent back at him.

Naruto said a quick goodbye to Sasame and they both snuck out of the door to avoid Konohamaru, who seemed to think he was going to live with them now. Luckily he was preoccupied with fighting a boy half his size.

Together they headed out to the centre of town. Neither had any real idea as to where they were actually going, but walking worked off some of Sasuke's frustration and gave Naruto a chance to ask him what was up.

"Nothing's wrong with me. Can't you just stop bothering me with you idiocies for ten minutes?" He could feel his temper rising and Naruto raised his eyebrows. He wasn't worried about Sasuke lashing out; he just didn't want another punch in the face. It was also bothering him that Sasuke's bad mood was preventing him from telling him about Kiba's bad news. Should he just go out and say it?

"Sasuke…?" he started slowly, not looking at him.

"What do you _want_?" Sasuke asked, exasperated. He wanted to bury his head in his hands and block out the world for a second – for fuck's _sake_.

"I've got some, err, more bad news." Sasuke's heart sunk down into his stomach. He could feel the blood draining from his face. Sweat broke out on his forehead. He forced himself to keep walking without breaking a step. Naruto walked alongside him, still looking the other way. "Erm. It's that – Kiba told me this – that, err, O-Orochimaru," he winced. He was stuttering more than Hinata. "Orochimaru is offering ten – some money – for you. He, err, it's ten thousand ryo." Sasuke's blood ran cold, but he still kept walking. He made sure his voice was even when he spoke.

"So? He doesn't know where I am. Are _you_ going to tell him?"

Naruto was taken aback. "N-no! Of course I wouldn't do that. Not even for three million ryo! It's just… some people… people who have seen you might be desperate for money. Y-you know how it is out here. And… Orochimaru has this detective – Sai, his name is – looking for you, so…" Naruto trailed off, cursing how pathetic he sounded compared to how cool Sasuke was.

"So…?" Sasuke asked, waiting for him to finish. He still couldn't bring himself to look at Sasuke.

"So Kiba thought that maybe we should… Maybe we should go to another town for a while. Orochimaru might really hurt you… and, I don't want that so we could go… to another… town?" Sasuke stopped and Naruto spoke more tentatively.

"Why would _you_ come?" Sasuke asked coldly, closing up defensively. Orochimaru might really hurt him. That was a laugh. Hadn't he already humiliated him, stolen him away from the life he knew, locked him up in his apartment like a pet? There wasn't much more he could do, save kill him. "What has any of this got to do with you, or Kiba?" Naruto felt terrible.

"Would you really go to another city by yourself?" he asked Sasuke. He feared that Sasuke might crack very soon. That the hard shell he'd built up would be broken. It was too much. He should have _waited_, he thought wretchedly. He made himself look at Sasuke. That answered his question. No, he wouldn't go to another city by himself. Sasuke was so pale that his veins were visible beneath his skin and his lips had turned purple. His eyes were fearful. He looked completely destroyed already. Sasuke cracked his lips open to speak but no sound came out. And then:

"Why?"

'_Why_' what, Naruto wondered. Was it a repetition of his previous question? Questioning why everything was wrong? Naruto shook his head, wishing he knew. Sasuke started walking again, swaying slightly. Naruto caught him up and stopped him.

"It wouldn't be forever. We could, I don't know, head south to where the weather's better by train. Live there for a month or two, and then come back. Easy as pie." Naruto cringed at the inappropriate expression. "We'll scrape together some money for a train ticket and be gone by next week. Kiba will keep a look out here for us." He looked sideways at Sasuke. He, himself, wouldn't mind a change of scenery for a little while. A holiday of sorts. It'd probably do Sasuke good to get away from this town of bad memories for a little while.

"We could come back whenever you want. Just try it out. I don't want you to have to go back to Orochimaru."

Sasuke thought about it dully. Why was it all going wrong for him? What would happen if he moved? Would he be hurt there? Would _Naruto_ get hurt, or worse? He didn't want to cause anymore trouble. He'd never believed in bad or good luck, but surely too much had happened for it all to be coincidence and circumstance? It was down to him. Perhaps it was his fate for him and those around him to suffer.

"You can't come with me." He said to Naruto flatly, just like that. Naruto looked affronted.

"I'm not **letting** you go alone! I'll go happily as long as you give the okay." He stared challengingly at Sasuke. "Bad things happen all at once. It'll get better in a new place, you'll see. And then it'll pass."

Sasuke wished he could share his optimism. He'd been trying so hard to keep going on as normal. His insides were crumbling. He'd reached his limit. Grief had torn open a gaping hole in his chest and he was suffocating. He'd lost his footing, slipped into the river and was drowning. He couldn't know how he was managing to keep his face as blank as a mask.

"How would you know?" he asked bitterly, hanging his head and frowning at the floor. "How long have you been out here? All of your life? You're used to it. I'm not. I was raised… I can't… I'm not supposed to be _here_."

"I do know, Sasuke," Naruto said urgently, desperate to get through to him. "Every day out here is a nightmare for me too. I lost my parents too. I see people die around me all the time. It's not you. You just need to learn to push it all away. Leave it in the background. It doesn't hurt so much when you can't see it all that well." A raindrop hit his forehead, and then his left cheek.

"Come on. Try out a new place. I won't let him have you," he ended fiercely. Sasuke looked up at him. The rain was falling steadily, but not heavily, now. It made a pitter-patter sound on the surfaces it hit. Sasuke started to walk again. Naruto followed behind him.

* * *

Sasuke was sitting between his legs. He could feel his hard, bony back pressed against his chest and stomach. His hair tickling his chin. Their thighs touching. His arms around him. They were so warm. Content. Sasuke shifted so that he could kiss his collarbone lightly, sending a jolt of pleasure shooting up his side. Sasuke gave a low chuckle and kissed him again. He rested his cheek on Sasuke's soft hair for a moment, and then kissed the top of his head. He smelt nice.

Sasuke wiggled in their embrace and he had to roll his eyes. Sasuke was so fussy about everything, even their intimacy. But it was only to kiss his lips this time, softly. He let his eyes close to feel the light pressure of Sasuke's lips on his mouth before reciprocating. When Sasuke pulled away there was a very quiet noise. He nuzzled the sensitive spot behind Sasuke's ear with the cold tip of his nose, smiling when Sasuke gave him a feather-light shove and settled back into his arms. He held him tighter, nosing his neck now.

Something was definitely strange about this. He'd never had Sasuke so docile before. So affectionate. It was such a good feeling. He let his finger ghost along the hem of Sasuke's shirt and slip underneath to prod his stomach gently. Sasuke sighed contentedly and tipped his head back a fraction. He took the small opportunity to kiss his neck, giving a tiny suck before he pulled away to plant another one. Butterfly kisses.

How long had they been this way? Sasuke gave a little moan and turned around, kneeling in front of him. Sasuke touched his forehead to his and he turned his head up so that Sasuke could capture his lips in a harder, less innocent kiss. They locked mouths only at first, and then Sasuke slipped the tip of his tongue out to lick his lips. Their kiss became much harder then, urgent.

He could feel himself getting excited. Sasuke planted both his hands on his chest, and his nipples hardened. Sasuke's hands moved and he chuckled into the kiss when he felt the two little buds grate against his palm. Sasuke moved his hands down to his stomach without breaking their kiss. He shivered, pressing his lips harder against Sasuke's mouth and running his tongue over Sasuke's. Sasuke's hands slipped further. He was so warm. Sasuke's hands burned him.

_His_ hands were cupping Sasuke's neck. Stroking his hair. On his back. At his hips. Cupping his ass. Sasuke felt so good in his hands. He put his hands under Sasuke's shirt. Felt the rigid muscle of his hot stomach. Played with his nipples, hardened with arousal. He fiddled with the waistband of his pants, teasing him. Sasuke's tongue moved quickly and touched everything, his teeth, his lips. The feel of it was intoxicating. He tasted so sweet. He could hear a soft '_smak_' every time there was a break in their kissing. He tugged lightly at Sasuke's bottom lip with his teeth, smiling when he moaned sensuously. So compliant.

When had making out become normal to them? He couldn't remember. He could only remember an angry Sasuke, snapping and scowling at him. Not Sasuke kissing him and slipping his hand into his pants. He remembered that time in Jiraiya's room when he'd woken up with Sasuke kissing him. He couldn't remember his skilful tongue in his mouth. The touching. The boldness.

_Oh_. Naruto opened his eyes suddenly, heart thudding terribly. It was dark and Sasuke was sitting beside him, head back and mouth slightly open. Naruto registered two things: the tightness in his pants and that his state was due to the person sitting beside him fast asleep. Naruto swallowed, touching his face with the back of his hand. He was hot, and probably red.

He blinked at Sasuke. So he was sleeping, at last. He was probably tired. His neck was exposed just like in the dream. Naruto swallowed again, face burning. Oh, shit. He was incredibly… aroused. Shit. He could almost feel Sasuke's hot hand encircling his… he closed his eyes and breathed in the refreshingly cold air.

He had had a crush on Haku before. Did he have a crush on Sasuke? He dismissed the idea as ridiculous. That was so childish. He'd been eight when he'd had a crush on Haku. And Sasuke and Haku were entirely different. Sasuke was too much of a bastard. It was just a dream.

He wondered what to do about his 'predicament'? Nip off and finish what dream-Sasuke had started or sit it out and hope it'd go away? The latter was laughable, so Naruto stood up awkwardly, embarrassed that Sasuke was beside him even though he knew he was asleep and unaware. Especially unaware that his state was due to a very bold dream version of him.

On the next tucked-away corner Naruto sat down and started on the task at hand. He squeezed his eyes shut. In truth he was entirely humiliated. His mind kept picturing Sasuke doing this for him, kissing him and letting him touch him. It was shameful, even if it was a dream. He wasn't thrilled when he was done, but it saved him some embarrassing morning moments. He paled when he thought of Sasuke being awake and hearing him sleep-talk. Thank goodness Sasuke could sleep now.

He wiped his hands on the wall, grimacing at the evidence. He was mortified now, at what he had dreamt and at what he had done. He was a pervert. How could he just go back and act as though everything was normal? You were supposed to forget about dreams as soon as you woke up, dammit. Now he knew how Sasuke had felt after that real kiss.

That sent tingles running all over Naruto's body. He groaned and hit his head against the wall.

* * *


	17. Moneymaking

**Diamond in the Dirt**

**Warning: Rated M**

Author's notes: This is quite a strange chapter and also, I regret to inform you, the last one for a whole week. Yes, I am off to Paris where I will have only a pen and a notebook to write in and not even a computer to check my email on. Ah, the land of no internet is indeed a horrifying one. Without Microsoft Word as well - it's torture. But not really. Sasuke is quite weird in this chapter, and Naruto weirder still. I'm sure you've noticed a few changes in him and the chapter really points them out. The next chapter will be a really good one, I promise.

See y'all next week!

* * *

**Chapter seventeen  
Money-making**

Sasuke woke up before Naruto. It was light, telling him that it was probably after five. That wasn't very helpful but he'd know a more precise time when Naruto got up, who said that the quality of light gave away the exact time. To Sasuke, the quality only changed around eight o'clock, but he wasn't an expert. Sasuke looked over at Naruto. He wasn't in the same place he'd been last night. In fact, he was very far away from him. That was odd. Usually the moron loved to use Sasuke as a pillow when he was sleeping.

Sasuke heaved a long sigh. Was he really going to leave here with Naruto? He would be leaving his family, his home, his school – everything he had ever known - behind. All to get away from Orochimaru.

Naruto was going with him. Why would he do that?

He stared at Naruto as though his sleeping face would answer him. He didn't get it. Nobody would have done this for him before. He doubted his mother would move away with him for his safety. His father certainly wouldn't. Itachi might have. His chest throbbed. He did miss his older brother, the fun times they'd had teasing their nanny as children and then the maids as they grew older... He wished he could just go back.

Naruto coughed and his eyes fluttered open. Sasuke rested his elbow on his bent knee and rested his chin and mouth in his palm. "Good morning," he mumbled through his palm. Naruto jumped and his eyes flew open. Sasuke arched an eyebrow coolly. "Bad dream?"

Naruto rubbed his face sheepishly. "Not really," he replied, sitting up. Sasuke raised his eyebrows again.

"When are we going to leave?"

"Errr," Naruto tried to get his act together. Half of his brain was still asleep. The other half was paralysed by the dream last night. "Erm… as soon as possible. Ah… we need to do a bit of work to make some money for the train…" He was very conscious that Sasuke was aware of how poor his speech was. He laughed nervously, and then wished he hadn't when he sounded even more mad. Sasuke raised his head to give him an odd look.

"Idiot?" he tried, wondering what was up.

"I'm okay!" Naruto yelped, scrambling to his feet. What was with him, seriously? Sasuke didn't _know_. "I'm just a bit disorientated. Weird dream. You know? One of those dreams about real life where you wake up and aren't sure what actually happened and what… didn't… happen. Well, you know, I think. Everyone has weird dreams like that… Like, when you imagine you're late and you're actually…not… I'm babbling, aren't I? Sorry." He tapped his skull with his fist, making a face.

"Yes. You're babbling." Naruto shot him another sheepish look. Sasuke gave him a moment to compose himself. "So, we're leaving as soon as possible. Where will we work?" Naruto coughed.

"That's, erm, up to you to find. I'm going to ask around and you have to do the same. Odd jobs." He wasn't exactly coherent but at least he wasn't as scatty as he had been before. He cleared his throat again. It was beginning to get on Sasuke's nerves. What the hell?

"Right. Okay." Sasuke replied flatly to let Naruto know he was becoming irritable.

"How about we meet up at the North Entrance of the market at, erm, five o'clock? It's six-thirty now, that gives us…" he started to work out the time between six-thirty and five. Sasuke beat him to it.

"Ten and a half hours." He was quite nervous inside, though. He'd be by himself asking people to let him do odd jobs for them. He remembered when Naruto had worked for them. He'd just gone to the door, announced his trade to his father (he tried not to think of how intimidating he, Itachi and his father had acted) and had got to work. That was a daunting thought. He wasn't on the greener field anymore. He was on the other side of the fence.

"Right. I'm going out to the richer houses. You could try asking the market workers if they want anything cleaned or crates unpacked," Naruto suggested, offering him a place to start. Sasuke nodded.

"Okay."

"Alright then. I'm going. See you at six!" Naruto picked up his bag and started in the direction of his old home. Sasuke's stomach clenched with nerves. Now? It was too early for people to want jobs done, wasn't it? He grabbed his bag (one that Naruto had pinched from a street officer's lost property bag when he'd been looking the other way) and set off towards the market.

When he got there he felt about as tiny and invisible as an ant. The bustle was unbelievable. Burly men were yelling commands at each other. Assistants scuttled around finding parts of their stalls to set up. Plump women were arguing over prices for their wares. Sasuke was overwhelmed. How could he possibly cut into this hectic scene and demand employment? He crept up (trying to swagger confidently) to one of the kindlier looking plump women.

"Good morning," he tried, licking his dry lips nervously. "I was, erm, wondering if you needed some help with your stall?" The woman blinked at him.

"I'm sorry, dearie, my stall? I don't work here. I'm just waiting for the market to open for sale." Sasuke tried not to blush. He nodded.

"Oh, sorry, I didn't know. Thank you." He retreated, looking around desperately for somebody else. He risked one of the crate lifters.

"Erm, hi, do you need help with the crates?" He tried to look confident. As if he did this every day. He was bowled over when the man let out a long, loud laugh.

"I don't think you'll manage these, son, sorry. You haven't got the muscles for it. Try to give that a lift." He indicated one of the wooden crates in his pile. Sasuke was determined to prove him wrong. He grit his teeth and pushed up his sleeves. He knew the correct way to lift without straining his back. He crouched down in front of the crate and pulled it into him before straightening up through his legs. It was very heavy. He wobbled a few steps and looked at the man for guidance. The man laughed loudly and Sasuke wished he'd hurry up and tell him before he dropped the crate.

"My mistake, sonny. Just take them to that lady over there." He pointed at a stall about twenty metres away. Sasuke's determination ebbed slightly but he wobbled over to the stall slowly. He would at least do five crates. He could manage five.

When he got to the stall, the stall holder prolonged his agony by laughing at him and not telling him where to put the crate. When he finally did tell him and he dropped the crate on the floor behind the stall, the stall holder laughed more.

"What's your price, ant? Just for making me laugh, I'll let you name your price." Sasuke managed a wan smile.

"What's the going rate?" he asked, flexing his arms and clenching and unclenching his fists.

"I usually pay twenty-two ryo per crate." Sasuke cocked his head, wondering how far he could push it.

"If I do five crates, will you pay me thirty ryo for each one?" The man looked ready to refuse. Smoothly, Sasuke spoke before he could say no. "For making you laugh." The man laughed again.

"Go on, then. I like you. You've got character. Not like some of the scum you find hanging around." He spat on the ground. Sasuke stepped back, stomach turning at the phlegm-y gob on the floor by his feet. The man apologised. "Not you, boy, you're a good 'un." Sasuke shrugged. He headed back to do the rest of the crates. One hundred and fifty ryo was less then than a half of a day of what his allowance had been before. But it was a start, at least. He still had the rest of the day.

He didn't know how he carried those four remaining crates to the stall. All he knew was that by the end of it his arms felt as though they'd been filled with helium and were floating above his head. It was an amusing image, but there was nothing funny about his aching shoulders. It did feel good to pocket the one hundred and fifty ryo he'd earned by his own hard work.

Around the market he seeked less manual-labour style work, like counting products or reading for illiterate stall holders.

On the other side of town, Naruto had coined in on a thousand-ryo-per-hour job gardening. As it was winter and he knew the tricks of the trade well enough, he'd gone to a grand house with a nice garden and hoped that the owners had high standards for the appearance of their property. He'd been lucky and they'd accepted his offer of service and proposed wage readily, putting him to work straight away.

It was eight o'clock or thereabouts when he knocked at that house. He'd ambled to the rich district with an eye out for fallen change or a pre-waking-hours job tidying the roads for the upper class to step out and enjoy their clean pavements. He'd encountered neither but remained optimistic. He hadn't pinned his hopes on either idea anyway.

The garden he was tending to was the formulaic rich-people-garden: moderate in size and with a few strategic decorations. His given instructions were to trim the pine trees lining the back wall of the garden (to stop the neighbours peeking, Naruto knew the reason for them was) into the standard triangle shape. Weeds had to be pulled from all flowerbeds to make way for spring bulbs. The ornamental pond needed its surface cleared of whatever debris had collected there and then the inside had to be cleaned with a pool vacuum as the water was murky. The patio needed sweeping. The grass wasn't particularly long due to the cold but a mow wouldn't do any harm. The gravel bed could be hosed clean. Moss could be pulled off of the wall in the corner. It was a fairly easy job made easier by the cold weather. It didn't require sweating under a baking hot sun with an aching back from so much bending whilst his employer watched on with an ice cold drink in their hand, never offering him anything. It was just a simple four hour job. Five if he did the front garden up a bit.

As he trimmed he wondered how Sasuke was faring, feeling a bit bad for abandoning him on his first job-hunt. It was so stupid and childish to let a dream (that could have been about anybody, arguably) come between them (not that Sasuke knew anything about it). His stomach squeezed uncomfortably with guilt, for the two things he'd done wrong.

It _couldn't_ be that he felt any attraction to Sasuke. Sasuke was attractive, yes. He had that striking dark-features-on-pale-skin beauty. But he wasn't attract**ed** to him. The other 'attractive' thing he had about him was his innocent but tortured personality. Sasuke was entirely able to cope alone – he was strong – but he was so blind to the fact that there was goodness in other people it made him look vulnerable. Something to take care of. Just seeing him tread distrustfully through the kindness people extended to him was enough to make you want to grab him and shove him behind you and say 'let me take care of it for you'. And he was so unaware of it.

Maybe it was because he'd spent so much time with him that his brain decided to 'treat' him. But he'd noticed a few times that the things that Sasuke did sometimes induced a bigger reaction than necessary in him. Just leaving him at the police station had left him nauseous with suspicions. Whenever they went their separate ways and met up again later on in the day he could spot Sasuke miles before he reached their meet-up point.

That's what made it similar to his crush on Haku. He'd spent so much time with Haku that he'd grown to love him romantically. He'd let Haku cry on his shoulder, held his hand and had taken care of him. His femininity had helped, too, but from a young age Naruto had been indifferent to sexuality. Living with Jiraiya had left him pretty much unprejudiced towards anything besides the rich. Although it had never arisen, Naruto remained convinced that should he ever get off with a man, he wouldn't hesitate to take any business they started 'upstairs'.

Though… he couldn't picture himself being in a _relationship_ with a man. Not that _that_ meant much, as he couldn't really picture himself in a relationship with anybody. He'd never been in a relationship with anybody before, keeping to the brief trysts that got him some respect and plenty experience and obviously a fair bit of pleasure.

Naruto bit his tongue thoughtfully, navigating the leaves of the trees with the blade of the secateurs his employer had provided. He could certainly picture him and Sasuke doing… things. But that really did make it just a dream. He was conscious that he was blushing as he thought about dream-Sasuke doing naughty things to his lower half. He felt about five, being so prim about sex, but he couldn't bring himself to be so brazen about _Sasuke_. Like, he could fuck a hooker but he couldn't use that word with Sasuke.

He stepped away from the tree to see how triangular it was. He hadn't been kidding when he'd told Sasuke this was his favourite job. If he could live anywhere in the world, it would be somewhere in the countryside with big open spaces and forests and streams. That would be the most amazing place to spend your life.

Sasuke had kissed him, that time. Why had he done that? Had he been sleepwalking? Something told him otherwise: his instincts. Sasuke had been much too horrified. He'd been shocked at what he'd done. Did sleepwalkers remember what they'd just done when they woke up? He brushed it off as over-thinking. Knowing Sasuke the way he did, even for the short time he did, he knew that that kiss had been far from intentional.

Back at the market, Sasuke's beginner's luck was clearly out. He'd asked around a bit, the confidence from completing his first job spurring him on to find more, but the stall holders hadn't been eager to take on new staff so close to market opening time, at seven. One had called him 'an inexperienced runt' to which he had bristled and been left with a large sense of self-disgust. That meant that he was lumped with the rest of the other 'dirty street people'. He immediately felt a pressing need to wash, drown himself in the shower.

It wasn't that he smelt or anything – the cold weather and little exertion he made each day didn't make him sweat much and he made sure he at least got a quick water-wash every day, if he could – but he could feel the grime building up on his skin that only hot water and a bar of soap could remove.

Now that the market was busy and no more jobs were being offered to anybody, the hundred and fifty ryo Sasuke had earned no longer felt as promising as it had been. By now this money-making thing had become a competition between him and Naruto, even if Naruto didn't know anything about it. He could see the idiot, goading him, doing his folksy, heart-winning thing with his imaginary hat that made people think he had character and employ him. And that stupid accent he put on. People fell for that crap – it was cliché. People wanted that TV-poor-person working for them.

He couldn't follow that act. It was humiliating. Would push him down further into his new social class status. His mind worked. Naruto had told him to go to certain people in times of need. The brothels must need some kind of help, and there was always the no-go drugs faction. Why couldn't he ask around there? It was slightly more legitimate than begging around the market for a handful of ryo. He knew that women fell for him on sight, so he headed in the direction of the brothels, feeling the tiniest of thrills that he'd found his footing alone on the streets.

He tried Jiraiya's brothel first, surprised for a second that it was closed and then remembering their shower and breakfast time. Maybe he was a bit early – he didn't relish hanging around like a pervert. He decided to give Sakura a try, and then cringed at how poorly phrased his thought had been.

That brothel, thank goodness, was open. Apparently it was a twenty-four hour service every day of the week, and Sasuke wondered if that was why it was cheaper than the other one: because there was more business, even if it was a lot less classy and preyed mainly on blind lust (that was his impression anyway; anyone who could tolerate the gaudy design of the brothel was clearly blind or desperate).

He walked in with more confidence than he actually had and froze when the concierge started listing their morning services to him, losing his cool for a few heartbeats. When he regained himself he shook his head at what she was offering and spoke up. In theory, it had been much easier to encounter work in a brothel. In practice he felt like a moron.

"I'm looking for some work here. I know, erm, Sakura and Naruto," playing the contact card was so lame, he realised, and wished for some power of his own. The concierge looked on the verge of saying no, but on hearing Sakura or Naruto she changed her mind.

"Actually," she said, biting her bottom lip thoughtfully. They were painted a deep, seductive red. "We do actually need somebody to wash up bottles and glasses throughout the night. They just get left out and it looks messy and one of us always has to wash up at the end of the night. I'm sure if you named a good price we'd be more than happy to take you on… when can you start?"

"I could start tonight, if you like, and I'm not sure what the going rate would be. Perhaps you could name your price?" he suggested. The concierge immediately gave him a flirtatious stare under her long eyelashes.

"How about a go on a prostitute of your choice? Two hours, anything you like?" she pouted, fingering the list of services on the table beside her. Sasuke couldn't help but look at the list, feeling hot, eyes homing in on '_Pirate_ – _fulfil your nautical fantasies with voyage on the high seas, raping local women aboard your ship… (Comes with three or more women)'_ He swallowed.

"I was thinking of around one thousand ryo per hour…" why was his throat so dry? The concierge became brisk and businesslike once again.

"Oh, okay," she sounded mildly relieved. "We haven't got that many services available tonight. Most of them have been booked up. But, erm, I think we're willing to do up to eight-fifty ryo… is that okay? For twelve hours, with a one hour paid break?" Sasuke did the math in his head.

"Yes, I can do that. What time should I come back?" The concierge consulted her book.

"We get busy at about… ten o'clock tonight. Come back around nine-thirty and I'll show you the ropes." Sasuke was surprised that was all it took: no summoning of Sakura, no interview. Nothing, just 'come back at nine-thirty'.

"Okay. See you later." His goodbye was a suspicious lilting question.

In the house of his employer, Naruto was being given his wages for the day. Four thousand ryo plus an extra five hundred tip for the thorough job he'd done. Naruto was gleeful, and thanked his employer with genuine gratitude. Told him he was moving away and needed money for his new life. The man had given him a few energy bars and fruit to tide him over.

It was midday and he munched cheerily on one of the energy bars. He loved days like this. It was just a pity the morning had been spoiled by his stupid dream. Which, incidentally, no longer bothered him. He'd banished it to the 'forget about it' corner of his brain with Sasuke's kiss and a lot of other unpleasant experiences.

Now, where should he go for work next? It wasn't a very nice day; not sunny as it had been the week before but the rain had stopped. It was just overcast. Some might call it 'miserable weather'. But Naruto was indifferent. He had four thousand ryo – almost enough for two one way tickets – and a little not-this-way-nor-that-way weather wasn't about to affect his mood. Even if it did mean families stayed at home and were less eager to have a stranger pottering about their children doing the jobs nobody wanted to do.

After twenty minutes of mindless idling, he resolved to ask around without hope. No hope meant no disappointment and made every triumph so much better. He'd pocketed a fair sum, what did it matter if from now 'til five he made nothing? Usually he wasn't this throw-away about money, but if Sasuke made as much as he had they could be off tomorrow. And if not… well, tomorrow was another day.

He decided to go to the station to check out the prices. He wasn't too sure of the location of the nearest station, but guessed its whereabouts by one time he _thought_ he'd passed a station, a few blocks away. He was a little bothered that his vague and possibly imaginary station was not where he'd thought it was. He didn't even recognise the streets he walked on. It made him feel pretty pissed, not knowing his own home, and think properly about moving. To a place he would know nothing about.

Eventually he did find a station – not the one he'd thought of – and went to check out the prices. The woman at the counter was incredibly dismissive of him, sighing loudly when he requested a price list as if she had something better to do.

The cheaper tickets were the ones that took him farthest, surprisingly. It was as though the city was trying to spit people out, or something. The cheapest ticket, at four thousand, two hundred and seventy ryo single voyage, was to a seaside town on the opposite end of the country. He'd asked for some information and had been given leaflets for every town, attraction and monument in the country. Sasuke could read them later, but the pictures of the seaside town did look nice: happy and bright. Supposedly the weather was good all year round.

Unfortunately it looked suspiciously like a holiday retreat style place. It could hardly be as poverty-stricken as this city and there was no way in hell neither he nor Sasuke could register for aid or pay for some semblance of accommodation there. For one, Naruto didn't even have a birth certificate – as far as the government were concerned he really, truly did not exist. For another, he could hardly give away Sasuke's details with a murderous drug lord after his blood.

Wistfully, he stared at the photos of sandy beaches and pretty streets and then tucked his leaflets away. He'd leave it up to Sasuke to decide anyway. It was his move after all.

…

At five o'clock Sasuke was standing at the market entrance waiting for Naruto as they had planned. Naruto had spent a little of his money on a new shirt, as his was a little worse for wear after continual use and bad weather. Sasuke noticed.

"How much did you make?" he asked, competitive instincts kicking in against his will.

Naruto subtracted the shirt money from the four thousand fifty ryo. "A little over three thousand eight hundred minus the shirt money. I got us some food, too." Naruto pulled an energy bar from his bag and gave it to Sasuke, who wolfed it down with uncharacteristic hunger. He hadn't eaten all day. "How about you?"

"One hundred fifty," Sasuke said, and Naruto was appalled. Was that all? "And I've got a job this evening, which will make me ten thousand ryo." Naruto was immediately worried.

"Where are you working? You didn't go to the drugs place, did you?" Sasuke shook his head 'no', irritated that Naruto didn't trust his job-seeking. It got on his nerves how much Naruto fussed over him. It was really condescending.

"I'm not stupid," he said coolly, "unlike you. What retard would choose to work for the same guy that's out to kill him?" He narrowed his eyes accusingly at Naruto. The blond automatically tried to mollify him. He was beginning to miss the old Naruto. The one with bite. This new one kept treating him like a princess. Like a little girl, since that stupid kiss.

"Yeah, yeah, okay. Sorry," New Naruto mumbled, looking through his bag for the leaflets and price list he'd picked up. "So, where are you working?"

"Sakura's whorehouse," Sasuke bit out acidly, drawing a worried look from Naruto. It was so suffocating, to have everybody constantly worry about him like he was something that needed worrying about. He had thought that Naruto was different.

"Are you okay?" Naruto asked, leaflets in hand, wondering why his companion was so pissed off.

Sasuke let out an annoyed sound. Glared at Naruto sullenly. Naruto felt a frisson of irritation. What was with him? He handed Sasuke the leaflets. "I picked up some information for a couple of places. You can choose where we go. I've got prices, too, for the train tickets."

"I'm not going," Sasuke said defiantly. He scowled heavily at Naruto, who gaped.

"What do you mean 'I'm not going'? You don't have a choice." Naruto replied, quite shrilly.

"I'm mean: I am not going to leave here. Fuck Orochimaru. Fuck you." Naruto was shocked.

"What the hell has gotten into you, Sasuke? Stop being such an idiot. You can't _stay_ here. People are out to get you." He drummed it into Sasuke slowly, praying some of it would reach his stupid brain.

"I don't care. They can do what they want to me. I'm not going."

"Don't be so throwaway about your life, Sasuke. I'm not going to leave you here. We're getting out of here whether you like it or not." Sasuke was getting more and more wound up with every passing second. Naruto sounded _hurt_, for fuck's sake.

"Maybe you should be a bit more throwaway about your life," Sasuke replied flippantly, "you don't contribute much. Waste of flesh." He gave Naruto a challenging look, smirking superiorly as Naruto processed what he had just said.

"You son of a bitch," Naruto said lowly after a moment had passed. Sasuke watched him keenly. "After I went out of my way to help you out. Fuck you, Sasuke. If you hate me that bad, why don't you just fuck off back to the police station and have them find you another home? Maybe this time you'll be in a whorehouse. Doesn't that sound fun?" Naruto paused, smiling darkly. "You bastard." His lip curled in anger, and his voice had taken on a rumble of a growl. Sasuke was intrigued. "I'll get you out of this city even if I have to bound and gag you."

Ah, so there was still some Old Naruto in him, even if Old Naruto still tried to look after him. Sasuke was appeased. "Okay," he said flatly. "I'm working from nine-thirty tonight 'til tomorrow morning. I'll see you later."

Naruto was thrown, and his mind scrambled to put together the puzzle. He was still baring his teeth at Sasuke. "What the fuck is with you?" he growled almost defeatedly, throwing his hands to his sides. He couldn't understand Sasuke, really. He'd been acting meekly for the last week. What was the stupid change of attitude? Sasuke only smirked.

"Moron." Naruto's eyes widened, and suddenly he was laughing. Loudly. _How absurd_.

"Yeah, yeah," Naruto grinned, pretending to wipe tears of laughter from his eyes. "What time do you finish? I'll come meet you." He continued to laugh quietly to himself, shaking his head in confusion.

"Ten o'clock," Sasuke told him. He could feel a laugh climbing up his oesophagus, too. He stifled it with a small smile. "And don't meet me. I'll find you."

Naruto rolled his eyes. "I'll be there anyway."

As Sasuke stalked off to do whatever he was going to do, Naruto let himself laugh. _What a weirdo. _It was probably the most absurd argument he'd ever had with somebody. Sasuke was a mystery, following none of the rules (of the street, at least). Naruto sat down, shaking his head and chuckling. Somebody dropped change in his lap as they passed and he could only laugh more. _What a strange day_.


	18. Terrible truths

**Diamond in the Dirt**

**Warning: Rated M**

Author's notes: It's short, but please review. This is compromise post because I won't be able to post nineteen until late tonight or tomorrow. That battle plan is to put out nineteen and twenty in a three-day-triple-post, but let's just see how it goes. I've heard that a lot of you want to see some more off Sai...

* * *

**Chapter eighteen  
Terrible truths**

_Interesting. Let me get a better look at this. 'Uchiha Mikoto'. They've really thrown dirt at this family. Pity it never got out… _

_Descendent of Uchiha Madara, huh? That's very interesting. Half-blood. Exiled branch of the Uchiha family. Marriage was frowned upon. Yawn. Where's the- ah! What's this? '…started off in life living an impoverished existence, and was soon sold into prostitution, the fate of any woman living in dire poverty. Her blood was filth to the main branch of the Uchiha family not only because of her great-grandfather's exile but because she was the daughter of different blood…" _

_A scandal. Surely nobody knows of this? It wouldn't have been allowed. Fugaku wouldn't have married if… _

_Aha. So he's got his own dirty little secret? Friends with Oto Orochimaru, wasn't he? Hmmm… Perhaps found himself wanting to break free of the family's stranglehold on him and went to the red light district. It's not entirely unlikely. Though only speculation. Shotgun wedding? The oldest son was twenty-two when he died… _

_What different blood? Uchiha Mikoto is half what? That's a dead end if it's some street filth. No matter, this brings me nowhere near Sasuke anyway. It is interesting, however… _

_E-mail? File attached… could this be Uchiha Sasuke? Black hair, dark eyes, pale skin… those are his distinguishing features…_

_Where did I leave my book? Let's see if this matches up to that photograph… I doubt that it's him, any person with half a brain cell would know to change their appearance when on the run-_

_The resemblance is too huge. Though… a cousin? Look-alike? Where was this taken? And who's he with? I'll check up on the blond…_

_Shikamaru's database of the scum on the streets is considerable. Where did I leave the telephone? Ah, here it is. _

Shikamaru, can you tell me the names of all blond males on your contact list?

How many are there?

Only one? _Lucky._

_Uzumaki Naruto_. _That's a _very_ interesting name. _

* * *


	19. Departing and drinking

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"_Don't sleep_, Sasuke," Naruto stressed exasperatedly as Sasuke sat down on Gaara's sofa and leaned his head on his propped-up arm, eyes already closed. Crossing his arms angrily across his chest, Gaara gave Sasuke a filthy look. He hadn't wanted to let Naruto-thief into his home. Sasuke ignored Naruto. Naruto all but stomped his foot in petulance.

Giving in but not defeated: "fine. What_ever_. _You_ know best." Naruto huffed, grabbed Gaara by the elbow and pulled him out of the living room away from Sasuke.

Once in his room, Gaara gave Naruto a long questioning stare. Naruto winced at the darkness around his friend's clear green eyes and ducked his head. "He drives me up the wall, Gaara." Whiny voice, eyes despairing. Gaara had no patience for it.

"Then why are you going with him?" Gaara's tone was accusing and Naruto stuck out his bottom lip in a pout. Gaara would make it difficult for him to leave. He'd miss his strange pal. Would he be lonely without him around?

"I'm not abandoning you. I'll come back soon. I just can't leave him to die or… whatever they do to people who escape. His _family_ died." Naruto was aware that he sounded desperate but he didn't want Gaara to think his departure was permanent. "I would do the same for you."

Gaara blinked slowly, running his eyes slowly over Naruto's face. _Would he?_ He wanted a full-system scan before he took Naruto's word. He changed the subject.

"Why is Uchiha tired?" Gaara jerked his head in the direction of the living room.

"He worked all night at a brothel." Gaara's eyes widened the tiniest fraction, showing that Sasuke doing sleazy work shocked him. Naruto was tempted to continue that storyline just so he could say that he'd shocked Gaara. "Nothing like **that**. He cleaned. Washed glasses and stuff like that. He made around ten thousand ryo." Naruto sat down on the edge of Gaara's bed.

"Oh." Was it just him or did Gaara sound a little disappointed? Naruto wrinkled his nose.

"Yeah…" Naruto yawned. If he was honest with himself, the bad night's sleep he'd gotten was because he was fretting about Sasuke. He couldn't have another Haku situation, not on somebody so torn up already. He'd been chasing away nightmares of Sasuke doing terrible things to evil strangers all night and had turned up four hours early to pick him up, just to check out the promotions for that night. He'd felt a little better once he'd seen that 'rich and recently orphaned boy for hire' had not been pasted all over the windows.

"You're tired, too?" Naruto stopped mid-second-yawn. He felt annoyingly caught-out, like the cliché child in the cookie jar (not that he'd ever had the luxury of a cookie jar to steal from). He scowled at Gaara for questioning him.

"I had a tough time sleeping. Not all of us have beds, you know." The comment was pretty useless, Gaara being a severe insomniac and all. Naruto doubted the bed had ever been used. Unless Gaara took the occasional girl home, which was a thought that had never crossed Naruto's mind before and now made him wonder whether Gaara had ever slept with anybody. _Huh, some friend he was_.

Gaara gave a small smirk to which Naruto responded with a glower. Stupid Gaara with his stupid self-satisfied-unaffected-ness. God, he'd miss him.

"Where are you going?" Gaara asked.

"A place called Red Hill. It's near the sea. I kind of made Sasuke pick it because I've never seen the sea before."

"That must be nice for you," Gaara commented mildly. His eyes were bitter with jealousy. Naruto clenched his fists, biting back a growl of exasperation.

"It is. Now, since you're going to be like this, I'll cut the friendly chit-chat. Lend me some of your clothes. I want to try to get a real job and I can't go to a new town in _this_," he looked down at his tattered trousers and dusted off his new shirt. "And you're not invited to the leaving party Kiba's throwing. You'll just piss me off on my last day in town."

Gaara shrugged his shoulders and went to his wardrobe to pull out some clothes for his friend. Naruto could feel tears stinging the back of his throat. He'd come here to invite Gaara to the stupid party stupid Kiba was throwing for him, not to say goodbye in this stupid way. What if he never came back? He made sure his scowl stayed plastered on his face for when Gaara turned back round to face him.

He was handed a neatly-folded pile of black and grey garments silently, and he hugged them to him. Gaara just stared at him in his usually annoying way waiting for him to speak, but for once Naruto was at a loss. He feared that if he opened his mouth he'd cry. And that would be the single most embarrassing moment in his life, to cry in front of Gaara.

He cleared his throat. "Thanks. And, err, I was kidding, about you not coming to the party. I want you there."

"Maybe I'll be there." Gaara looked away from Naruto's face and at the pile of clothes clutched to his lower chest.

"I hope so," Naruto said with a small smile. It was suddenly becoming real to him – the move, as in. Before it had been just one of his ideas. It was hard to explain because most of his ideas were actualised and this one was no different – it was just that this one was so much more drastic. No other explanation. Naruto smiled.

"Where's Temari? Kankuro?" He didn't want to spend the precious last of his time with Gaara making small talk but he would rather that than bawling. He felt mildly disgusted at his 'softie-ness' that he so fiercely denied. Okay, so he'd known he was soft all along but there was nothing worse than having an embarrassing fact repeated to him.

"Temari is out with Nara. Kankuro," Gaara paused, trying to remember. Sometimes he forgot things because of his lack of sleep. "Kankuro is out of town for a few weeks."

"Ah. I wanted to say thank you to Temari, you know, for finding Sasuke and helping out Hyuuga Hinata." Naruto grinned in amusement. "She's funny. Have you seen her around Shik before?" Gaara gave a nod, offering a tiny twitch of his lips.

"Temari shows that fool who's in charge," Gaara commented with pride, even though his face remained impassive. Naruto crinkled his eyes in laughter, thinking right now that Gaara could well be his favourite person in the world. No pretences, none of the street's three vices and underneath it all a kind person. A person sort of like himself.

…

"…_spending all of our money on whisky and beer_…"

Sasuke rolled his eyes at the typically-drunkard song a group of boozers. 'Their' party was in full swing by the looks of it even though it was only just past nine o'clock, though Sasuke didn't at all doubt that they'd all been drinking since daybreak. Naruto did not hesitate to pick up two open bottles of the first alcoholic drink in arms reach, pushing one into Sasuke's hand. Naruto joined in the singing after only one swig.

"…_and it's_ _no, nay, never, no nay never no more…" _

This was presumably the chorus or a part of it, as the singing continued. Sasuke took a half-hearted sip of his drink, surprised to find it was just a breezer. That was easy enough to drink – and minus the unpleasant it-goes-straight-to-my-head feeling stronger drinks gave. He took a large swig. Naruto elbowed him to bellow the song tunelessly in his ear, making him spill orange alcopop over his hand and sleeve. He scowled at Naruto, but felt a slight pang when he saw how much Naruto enjoyed being around these people. Was it really okay for Naruto to leave with him?

He wandered away from the singers and Naruto to sit on one of the sandbags. He was still tired from working at the brothel. Somebody fell down beside him and hooked an arm around his neck. His eyes started watering as what could qualify as a wall of at least half of the alcoholic fumes in a brewery slammed into his face and he glowered at the intruder. It went unnoticed. A cup was pressed into his free hand. "Drin' it up! Drin' it! It's whisky – won' be 'round for much longer. Nicked it from a – hic – liquor store."

He frowned but was unwilling to offend the 'kind' stranger with Naruto's warning of boozer temperament ringing ominously in his ears. He took one sip, and then two- three- when the boozer kept encouraging him to drink more for the full effect. His stomach clenched and churned when the fiery liquid hit his insides. Goosebumps rose all over his skin from his feet up to his forehead. His hairs stood on end. It took all he had not to shudder and even then he couldn't contain the grimace.

It went straight to his head, but it wasn't that bad. It settled down quickly and left him feeling warmer than he had felt in weeks. The cup was taken away, the arm was retracted and away stumbled the alcoholic, leaving Sasuke sitting alone again. He kind of missed the company already. He snorted with laughter.

"Gaara!" came a collective roar. Sasuke rolled his eyes as the redhead sauntered into the ring boredly, running his dead eyes over the scene. Naruto, already – Sasuke couldn't believe it – slightly tipsy, flung his arms around his friend. The circle burst into animated chatter and laughter again, bottles clinking together as they toasted Naruto.

Why was Gaara so popular? A Sabaku – he had no prestige to his name, was not from the poverty scene. From his home Sasuke had gauged that he was completely average. His outward appearance was a bit peculiar and he was extremely quiet but otherwise normal.

Unconsciously, Sasuke lifted the bottle to his lips and drank the alcoholic mixer like juice. When he caught himself only a fifth or so of the bottle remained. _Oops_. His train of thoughts changed tracks. Thinking about it, he was gradually become accustomed to this way of life – during the day, anyway. At night, however, he was out of the loop. Being thrown into these scenes left him spluttering like a non-swimmer thrown into the deep end of a pool.

He observed his only contact and guide: Naruto seemed to have a bottle permanently attached to his lips, and he was surrounded by people. What was that saying? When in Rome, do as the Romans do? Sasuke drank compulsively, draining the last of the breezer.

Was this the 'peer pressure' the stupid adolescents in his class had all succumbed to? He felt satisfaction in knowing it had taken him the loss of his home, wealth and family to finally give in to the moronic imagined group pressure to do something he would do under normal circumstances.

He stood up, setting his bottle on the floor, and went in search of another drink. He didn't have to go far before somebody pressed a beer into his hand, offering him their well-wishes in his new town. That surprised him and he probably looked like an idiot as he gabbled his thanks. He swigged at the new drink, wincing at the foreign taste. It wasn't as nice as the breezer. It was warm and almost flat, but he drank long thirsty gulps of it anyway, shuddering and wiping his mouth when he could take it no more. He was feeling a little light-headed already.

For the rest of the night Sasuke drank a lot. It was the competition scenario as always. Competing with drunkards, Naruto, himself. How far could he go before he passed out? Could he take another drink after this one?

His hearing was muffled as if by a cloth. His vision was cloudy. He knew that Naruto had disappeared a few hours ago. Something about Sakura. A farewell fuck, as somebody called out crudely when Sasuke had enquired about his companion's whereabouts. Alone, Sasuke could only stumble around and accept drinks and the occasional nibble. He couldn't for the life of him say what it was that he was consuming anymore. He relied mainly on feel: the bodies brushing by him, the sandbag underneath him, the females touching his face and tugging his arm – even the odd wet kisses on his cheeks, his mouth…

He only knew when the party was winding down because Naruto had told him so, dishevelled and panting. Coming from the brothels. Drunk as hell. Just like him and everybody else.

Sasuke had been sitting on a sandbag at that point, and was peeved to find that he couldn't stand. The boozers found this amusing and a large group rushed to push him to his feet and usher him out of their party ring. Somehow he managed to reach the next street without anybody's help, and the boozers fell back to the dying party.

_Some leaving do. They wouldn't even remember it._ A part of Sasuke's mind was sneering sourly at the whole situation.

Sasuke stumbled and crashed against a brick wall. The rough brick scraped his hands. He was dazed. His whole grip on life was gone and he had no idea what the hell he was doing. Really. He couldn't even see. Was trying damned hard to regain at least one of his five senses. Even the wall was hard to feel with his alcohol-numbed skin. He bet that if somebody jammed a knife between his ribs he wouldn't notice 'til the next day. Where was Naruto to help him out? Clinging to the wall like a gecko, Sasuke tottered forwards.

Through almost-closed eyes and wheezy puffs of laughter that had him doubled over, Naruto watched Sasuke using the wall as a walking stick. He would shake his head, widen his eyes and squint, push away from the wall only to collapse back against it. Balance gone. His mouth was in an 'o' of concentration. Gormless. He looked gormless. Who was it who said that a drunken person lost all of their attractiveness? Sasuke still managed to look striking and composed, even when he was struggling to stay upright and was imitating a goldfish.

"You are sooooo funny, Shasuke," Naruto gurgled, stepping towards Sasuke and holding onto his face with both hands, helping him to focus on one thing. He smiled broadly as Sasuke's forehead wrinkled. All he could see was Stupid Blond. Sasuke let out a puff of laughter. Naruto's face gradually became serious and his thumb rubbed Sasuke's cheekbone clumsily. Some part of him expected a huge shove, but it didn't come. He leaned into Sasuke, breathing heavily.

He almost yelped when Sasuke's hand covered his own hands on his face and his stomach squeezed oddly. _Hadn't seen that coming_. He closed his eyes and caught Sasuke's lips. The funny flutters in his stomach sent an alcoholic warmth rushing through his body.

Sasuke didn't resist. Was compliant, even, and slid his hot hands to the back of Naruto's head and neck to pull him closer. Naruto was bewildered but obligingly slipped his tongue into Sasuke's mouth, too drunk to do anything that wasn't instinctual. He felt the insides of Sasuke's hot mouth. Sasuke's tongue sliding over his.

Naruto let his hand slide down Sasuke's neck, over his shoulders, down his sides to rest on his hips for a few seconds. Sasuke tilted his head a little and pressed his lips harder to Naruto's, panting into him. His fingers gripped Naruto's hair, inspiring Naruto to slip his hand under Sasuke's shirt to rub the smooth skin of his stomach. He felt Sasuke's breath hitch, muscles tense. Sasuke pulled away slightly, eyes glassy, and Naruto followed his movement wanting more.

They locked lips again, and Sasuke stumbled back against the wall. He slid down to the floor with Naruto following to kneel between his legs and push him back against the brick wall. More scrapes to his skin, this time under the fabric of his shirt. Sasuke could barely feel it. Their mouths worked furiously against each other in hungry, rushed kisses that made little sounds whenever their lips broke apart. Naruto's blunt finger nails scraped against Sasuke's skin under his shirt.

Their kiss changed when Naruto kissed the side of Sasuke's mouth and trailed along his jaw line, sucking softly at the jawbone and down the tendons of his neck. Sasuke hissed and tugged at Naruto's hair, arching in pleasure when Naruto's lips met the sensitive spot at his collarbone. He could feel a definite tightness in his pants as Naruto lapped at his collarbone and pleasurable goosebumps rose all over his skin. He pulled more urgently at Naruto's hair and scrunched his eyes closed, twisting his head to his left. He needed Naruto back at his lips before he lost himself completely.

Naruto seeked Sasuke's mouth blindly, planting wet kisses on his neck, cheek, chin and the soft skin under his earlobe before actually finding it. He tugged at Sasuke's lips with his teeth, remembering how much Sakura liked it when he did that. Their teeth clashed a little but it went unnoticed, both too eager to feel more.

Naruto fell back a little to breathe, feeling so good he was buzzing. He licked his bruised lips, tasting Sasuke on them. Sasuke was slumped and breathing raggedly, eyes glazed over with alcohol and arousal and face splotched with pink. He leaned slowly into Naruto again, leading him to take his turn against the wall, and straddled his upped thighs, strangely satisfied to feel something hard poking him when he brushed against Naruto's crotch. Naruto tasted so good – sweet. Intoxicating. He could kiss him forever.

Sasuke very deliberately pressed his lips against Naruto's and trailed the tip of his tongue over Naruto's bottom lip, tasting him slowly. Naruto craned his neck, trying to re-initiate their wilder kisses. Naruto moaned in frustration.

"Sasuke," he pleaded, eyes closed and chest heaving.

"Oi! Oi! What the hell do you think you're doing?" one of two night-patrol officers startled Naruto and Sasuke out of their synch. Sasuke and Naruto turned and stared rather vacuously at the two interrupters, still intertwined. The second officer picked up a bottle at through it at them, aiming to miss. They both ducked their heads when the glass shattered beside them. Naruto scrambled to get to his feet, pulling Sasuke up with him. Sasuke leaned against him, eyes terrified.

"Go on! Get out of here!" A can went flying in their direction and Naruto scarpered, dragging Sasuke along with him. "Did you see that? Two boys!" Raucous laughter followed them as they retreated.

They both collapsed in an alleyway five minutes away from where they'd been. Sasuke's breathing was shallow by this time, instead of the usual gasps after a run, and his skin was tinged with green. He was going to be sick. With a shudder that went from the bottom of his back all the way to the top of his neck, Sasuke emptied the contents of his stomach: a foul smelling greenish liquid, a concoction of various alcohols. Naruto own stomach turned. Sasuke gagged and wretched again, and then wiped his mouth shakily.

"Okay?" Naruto asked him, lying down on his side. He was beginning to feel slightly nauseous too, like the world was spinning. He rested his cheek against the cold pavement, closing his eyes and concentrating on forcing the alcohol he'd consumed through his body the more conventional way rather than out of the way it had come in. He heard another cough and stomach-churning splatter.

He opened his eyes to see Sasuke shivering wretchedly, eyes watering, and wiping his mouth. He sat back up again and struggled to sit back on his haunches.

"Just shtick your fingers down your throat. At thish point you're better off throwin' it all up." Sasuke obeyed piteously, shivering with cold and gagging around his fingers. Naruto patted his shoulder sympathetically. He tried not to breath in the foul stench of Sasuke's vomit when it splattered on the floor near his feet. "Finished?"

Sasuke nodded woozily, leaning into Naruto's armpit so that Naruto had to put his arm around his shoulders. He felt terrible. He had a headache coming on. His teeth chattered as he shook and he could taste his vomit. Naruto gave him a squeeze and let his head droop to rest atop Sasuke's head. He felt a bit warmer with his body pressed against Naruto's side. He shifted closer.

When he inhaled and exhaled, strands of Sasuke's hair would tickle his nose and cheek. His eyes were fighting to close as the alcohol filtered through him and the night took its toll on him. Beside him Sasuke was already snoring softly, shivering a little less and curled up small, pressed to his side.

…

On the train to Red Hill, Sasuke was decidedly grumpy. He touched his forehead wretchedly to the thick Perspex window of the train, squeezing his eyes closed as the monster Intercity gave a lurch on the tracks. _Hangover, go away_. Naruto was as chipper and winsome as always, snuffling quietly as he slept sprawled out across his seat and half of Sasuke's.

That morning, Naruto had woken up complaining about the puddle of sick, the cold, his throbbing head, the time – everything, practically – but had marched energetically to the station where they would get their train to the town of Red Hill, a supposedly friendly town somewhat close to the ocean. Sasuke had his doubts, but it was better than the resort Naruto had been eyeing hopefully.

Sasuke closed his eyes. There was a headache looming behind them. As soon as the blackness descended of course he started to feel sick and dizzy again. Ten seconds later he opened them again. Never again would he drink so much. Hangovers and throwing up was so undignified. He'd almost slit his wrists when he'd woken up squashed under Naruto's arm.

Anyway, despite his various complaints about his health, Naruto had fallen asleep the second he'd sat down. He'd even woken up to tell Sasuke he was hungry and to wake him up when the snack cart came round. Sasuke resented him as much as he could resent anything, right now.

Suddenly overcome by jealously, Sasuke shoved Naruto hard in the ribs with his pointy elbow. Naruto awoke with groggy fury, baring his teeth like an animal at Sasuke. "What?" he hissed. He cracked his knuckles and sat up straight, apparently looking intimidating. Sasuke stared darkly out of the window at the countryside flying by. They hadn't been out of the city for long, but Sasuke felt so much safer already. He hadn't noticed how wary he'd been until that weight had been lifted.

"Nothing." Sasuke bit out. "I don't see why you get to sleep while I have to stay awake to watch out for a fucking snack cart with you drooling all over my only clean clothes." Naruto looked surprised, and then chuckled.

"Fair enough." Naruto yawned, stretching out his arms above his head. "Ah. I'm sorry. I'm awake now. You get some sleep." Naruto offered his shoulder for Sasuke to lean on, and then blushed and looked away. He hadn't forgotten about the events of the night before. They'd been incredibly drunk – so incredibly drunk he wasn't even sure he was fully sober now – and there'd been Sakura and that dream to get him going on that track. Sasuke was an excellent kisser.

Sasuke hadn't forgotten either, but this 'let's not talk about it' unspoken policy suited him just fine. Naruto's stupid blush only warmed his own cheeks, the moron. He scowled venomously at the blond and turned ninety degrees so that his back was towards Naruto.

He yelped when Naruto pulled him forcefully back around and shoved his head unceremoniously onto his shoulder with a determined frown. "Just sleep, will ya? Don't complain if you're selective about your outcomes." The bones in Naruto's shoulder were pressing painfully into his cheek. Sasuke growled and struggled against Naruto's hold.

"Get off me," he snapped with difficulty. He sounded as though he'd undergone root canal surgery or something, what with half of Naruto's skeleton entering his cheek. It wasn't helping his nausea-headache combo one bit either. His stomach clenched painfully. His head throbbed. Sweat broke out along his hairline and he panted as he struggled more ferociously. He managed to manoeuvre himself so that his teeth found Naruto's shoulder and he clamped down. Hard.

"Ouch!" Naruto released him at last and scrambled away from him, almost falling backwards over the armrest separating his chair from the aisle. He caught himself, boggling at Sasuke. "What the fuck? Did you just bite me?"

Sasuke gave him a look of disgust. The retard was murdering his face and didn't expect some form of retaliation? "Rot in hell."

Naruto snorted defeatedly and leaned back in his chair. There was a roar of wind as the intercity sped through a tunnel, leaving Naruto's hearing muffled. He swallowed and his ears popped. He hated that feeling. The intercity veered sideways to turn and it felt like his stomach was being pulled around by an invisible string. Apart from those two things, he was quite enjoying his first train ride out of the city he'd lived in all his life.

Being in coach on a five hour journey had killed his initial excitement, though. He had to sit still in his seat and read or look out of the window. Now, he didn't particularly enjoy reading and seeing green fields and green trees and green bushes did (surprisingly) get boring. And he wasn't about to risk sleeping again. Yet.

His stomach gave a growl. He was a little peckish. Alcohol did that to him. When was the snack cart coming? He needed to go to the toilet, too, but didn't want to risk missing the snack cart. He pouted miserably. Bad things always happened to him. He craned around to look down the aisle that ran along the whole train. Not a snack in sight. Maybe he could risk it…?

Sasuke sighed loudly, irritably. "Stop fidgeting, Naruto," he hissed angrily. Why did they have to sit side-by-side? Their carriage was almost empty: there was a business man, and elderly lady and a woman with two toddlers. He should've asked to see the seating plan and chosen to sit the furthest away from him he could.

"I need to go to the toilet!" Naruto hissed back. Sasuke eyed him scathingly. They'd had an argument over who would sit get the window seat and Naruto had sulked for the first ten minutes because he'd lost.

"How old are you? Five?" Jeez, did he want Sasuke to take him there or something?

"I just don't want to miss the snack cart," Naruto whined. He stared pleadingly at Sasuke, who arched an eyebrow.

"What? You want me to go for you?" To that Naruto rolled his eyes, as if Sasuke was the idiot.

"No, I want you to get me something from the snack cart if it comes around."

"You know, the chance that food will be served only," he looked at the digital clock above the door into another coach, "forty minutes into the journey is slim."

"Just get me something. I'll be right back." Naruto jumped out of his street and walked to the toilets at the end of their carriage.

_Urgh_, was his stomach growling. One particularly loud whine from his stomach told him it wasn't just hunger affecting him. _Great, _this_ was going to turn out nicely_. He had the runs. He sat down on the toilet, wincing at the graphic sounds erupting from him and the toilet. He grimaced with embarrassment, praying that nobody would be able to hear him (nobody being able to smell was already asking for too much).

He thought it would never end. When it did, he was blushing and hot from head to toe and incredibly hungry. He averted his eyes from the toilet bowl as he flushed, unwilling to see the mess he'd made. He wondered if everything that went into the toilet went straight onto the tracks or if somebody had to clean out the tank of shit and piss and whatever else people flushed away at the end of each journey.

He washed his hands and exited the toilet, looking around at the other passengers to see if their expressions told any tales of his bathroom calamity. It was like a long walk of shame, getting back to his seat. When he (finally) sat down, Sasuke smirked tauntingly.

"What took you so long?" Naruto glowered at Sasuke's mocking face.

"Grow up, Sasuke." He folded his arms grumpily across his chest.

"The snack cart came round while you were gone…" Naruto's eyes widened and his stomach growled.

"What did you get?" he asked excitedly, looking at Sasuke expectantly.

Sasuke smirked. "Nothing."

"_What?_" Naruto squawked at the top of his voice, clutching his stomach affectedly. People turned to glare or stare at him and Sasuke shushed him urgently.

"Don't be so loud! There are other people here. _Jeez_, I was kidding."

"You shouldn't joke about these things. Especially when my stomach is empty." Naruto placed his hands flat on his stomach and made a face. "I'm skin and bone. I'm going to die of starvation." Damn his bowels; they'd only made him hungrier.

"That's the best news I've heard all day." Sasuke said flatly, touching his head to the window again and closing his eyes. Casual 'death comments' still packed a punch. A pungent odour reached his nostrils as he began to sink into a light doze. "What _is_ that? It smells like bad eggs."

Naruto tried to glower at Sasuke again and do the whole 'grow up' thing again, but his blush ruined that for him. Sasuke was about as gleeful as Naruto had ever seen him. _It takes diarrhoea to cheer him up?_ Naruto thought sourly. You would've thought that seventeen years in an upper-class, ages-old family would've destroyed toilet humour for him.

"I'll do it in your mouth next time," Naruto told him crudely. Sasuke gave a sarcastic laugh, reassuring him that he'd be quick to return the favour if such a thing should happen. That had sent Naruto into real laughter and earned them both venomous looks from every other passenger.

Sasuke miraculously fell asleep twenty minutes later, head lolling stupidly as the train moved. Naruto decided that it'd be really funny if he moved to one of the empty seats so that when Sasuke woke up he'd think he'd been abandoned. He stood up as silently as he could, looking from side to side to check if anybody would spoil his genius idea by telling Sasuke when he woke up.

He tried to contain childish giggles as he sat down by the toilets (the smell of 'bad eggs' had dissipated, thankfully). It soon grew boring though, as it became increasingly obvious that Sasuke was going to be out for a long time. Naruto stopped watching his sleeping companion and turned his attention back to the green scenery (now grey: they were in a neighbouring city that Naruto did not know the name of).

He let himself slip into pensiveness as the train monster-ed on through this city. Where would he live? That question worried him. He would be back to his three-year-old self, without a contact in the world. But this time he wouldn't have the brats or Jiraiya or Haku.

_Haku. _He felt a pang. He hadn't even said goodbye to his childhood friend. What if Haku needed him? Would he think to go to Jiraiya or would something awful happen to Haku if he couldn't find him? _Stop it, _he chided himself when he began to feel sick with worry and guilt. _Haku has Zabuza now. _

To get away from the risk of thinking about distressing things again, Naruto turned to check on Sasuke. _Oh_. Where'd he go?

Naruto stood up, certain Sasuke had turned his joke against him. He crept over to where Sasuke had been and was suddenly filled with anger. Everything had gone. Even his things! He growled.

"Sasuke!" he called loudly, receiving some very angry looks. He was bothering people more than the toddler was – an odd and unflattering role reversal. "Get back here with my things!" He was suddenly struck with an awful thought. "The snack cart might come past! You bastard!"

Ah, he was receiving some very dirty looks from the mother for using bad words. He scarpered, looking desperately for Sasuke.

The next carriage contained no Sasuke. Neither did the next one. Nor the one after that. Naruto was frantic. He was starting to believe Sasuke had been abducted by one of Orochimaru's minions (possibly posing as the snack person). "Sasuke!" he bellowed in this carriage, getting some more furious looks. He didn't care about them anymore. Where was Sasuke?

Shit. Shit. Was Sasuke really having him on or had something terrible happened to him? Why had he stopped paying attention to him? This was all his fault. Fear shot through him and he blundered on to the next carriage.

"Sasuke!" he tried again, aware that he sounded more and more desperate every time. "Stop being an idiot and come out!"

"Who are you looking for?" a young woman enquired curiously. Naruto started to shake his head to indicate he didn't need help and then changed his mind.

"My friend, Sasuke. He's got black hair and he's really pale. He might be with somebody."

"Nobody's come down here. Have you checked the other carriages?"

"I haven't checked the next ones but I've done all the ones behind me. He might be playing a joke, hiding." Naruto shrugged helplessly.

"I can help you look for him if you want." She smiled prettily, getting to her feet. And then she pointed at something behind him. "Oh, is that him? Black hair and pale?" Naruto whipped around and there he was, looking pissed and glaring at him. "_Cute_," the woman whispered. Sasuke walked into the carriage with an accusing look at Naruto.

"What's this about you walking up and down the train screaming after me? The people in our carriage want us to move, apparently." He was seething, but Naruto was also livid.

"Where were you? I thought somebody had taken you away or something!"

"You're a retard, and you started this stupid thing by thinking you could hide from me. What did you say to me earlier? 'Don't complain if you don't like the outcome'? Idiot. Moron."

Naruto glared at Sasuke, knowing that he was right. Goddammit, stupid Uchiha. "So where do we sit if we've been banished?"

The woman piped up. "You can sit here, if you like. I'm getting off at the next station and I don't think there's anybody sitting in the other seats." Naruto looked inquiringly at Sasuke. It wasn't that Sasuke got the final say or anything – it was just that Sasuke was so damned fussy about accepting help. These seats were much better than their other ones – there was a table!

"Thank you," Sasuke said impassively to the woman, sitting down opposite her, aisle seat. The lady shifted to the window seat so that Naruto could sit down beside her since Sasuke wasn't offering.

As promised the woman got off at the next station, but not without chatting their ears off. She'd paid a fair bit of attention to Naruto but she'd _really_ liked Sasuke. Asked him everything until Sasuke thought he'd have to murder her with the snack cart's (which had come round, to Naruto's delight) plastic cutlery.

Naruto munched passively on a sandwich and a chocolate bar, observing Sasuke for a while until it got on his nerves.

"What?" he snapped.

"Nothing," Naruto replied lazily. "Just wondering how long it would take to annoy you."

…

Naruto was practically quivering with excitement. His hands shook when he helped Sasuke get his bag off of the luggage wrack and he was blinking rapidly. Sasuke could picture a little blond dog waiting for 'walkies'. It was pathetic, yet oddly endearing (as most things were with Naruto), that Naruto had never seen the ocean. Pictures only.

Sasuke wasn't excited at all. He was queasy with nerves (though he'd never admit to it) and the safety he'd felt on the train was gone. He felt exposed. He followed Naruto off the train and out of the station cagily, searching for danger. Naruto, of course, was oblivious. He just babbled about Red Hill's sights and people and opportunities –would he get a real job? Sasuke doubted it.

"We can stay in a hostel for a couple of nights. Gaara and Sakura gave me money." He was brandishing a fistful of money and was waving it around for the whole world to see. Sasuke wanted to go unnoticed. Why was Naruto so _there_? Still, telling him to stop being so conspicuous would only mean voicing his fears, and that sounded even less appealing than being found out.

"Look! Sasuke, look! There's a bus going to Red Hill. Quick, let's get on!" Sasuke wasn't blind. The queue to get on that bus was long enough for them to reach the bus in time going at a crawl from where they were. Sasuke sighed in exasperation at Naruto's exuberance.

The driver was a little surly with them - tickets were supposed to be purchased before boarding – but they had begun their new life without a glitch. Sasuke settled down on one of the seats by the window (Naruto didn't argue, but looked like he wanted to) and watched the scenery of his temporary home. There was more greenery here than in the city.

The bus stopped frequently to let people on and off. Red Hill was the final stop, so forty minutes into the journey only five or six passengers remained. The bus stopped at a busier bus stop, and Sasuke watched the people get on the bus. The automatic door closed after the last person and the bus started to pull away.

"Hey!" Naruto yelped suddenly and stood up. "You left that old lady at the stop!" He pointed out of the window. Sasuke craned his neck to see what on earth Naruto was hollering about and there she was, an elderly lady, still fishing in her purse for a ticket. The woman looked up frailly and looked bewildered when she saw that the bus had gone without her. A burly man laughed loudly at Naruto and Sasuke tugged his companion back into his seat.

"Do not kick up a fuss here," he hissed in Naruto's ear, but the blond was deafened by injustice.

"Haw, haw, haw! Who are you, kid? St Faggot of the Elderly? Haw, haw!" The man laughed again. Naruto was livid. He stood up again.

"You can't just leave her behind! She was waiting for this bus just like everybody else! Why couldn't you have waited?" Naruto was addressing the bus driver but the joker continued to guffaw loudly. Sasuke agreed with Naruto but did he have to be so open about his opinions? Another man made a rude sucking noise with his teeth at Naruto.

"Just sit down, stupid. You're pissing me off. It's not cute to be loud." Sasuke predicted a bad ending and opted out, staring out of the window and trying his hardest to block out the people around him.

"Just sit down Naruto. Another bus will come." Sasuke murmured quietly, intending for only Naruto to hear, but the joker overheard.

"Who's this? Your conscience?" He threw back his head and laughed loudly. His barking laugh loosened phlegm and Sasuke thought he'd spew whatever remained in his gut all over the bus when he saw a glob of brown-green sitting on the man's tongue. His stomach lurched and he turned away resolutely. Naruto could deal with these people alone. You reap what you sew.

"Leave it out!" Naruto snarled terribly at the laughing man, top lip curling with anger. Sasuke closed his eyes and focussed on his new home.

"Leave what out, you little punk? Who was she to you? Your grandmother?" He wasn't laughing anymore. Sasuke trained his eyes on the black tarmac. If he couldn't see, he couldn't hear, he didn't know. But it was futile. Every move the bus made had Naruto's leg pressing against his thigh. Why wouldn't he just sit **down**? He looked so much worse on his feet. Looking for a fight.

"What's with you people? Aren't you supposed to be better out here?"

"Better out here?" the man drawled incredulously. "These are tough times, kid. You think we've got time to think about other people? Maybe the city you're from don't know that but now you're out here you gotta face reality." Naruto's fists clenched.

"In the city I'm from one of my friends die every week. We've got two year old kids without parents. Eleven year old mothers. But we don't leave each other behind. So you can shut your ugly trap, bastard." Naruto looked quite smug at his closing line – Sasuke sneaked a peek. He wished he hadn't when he caught the man turning purple and a vein popping up on his beefy neck.

"Let's get off. Now." Sasuke suggested in a tone that implied that it wasn't really so much a suggestion as it was a command. "Please."

Naruto couldn't deny Sasuke. That was fast becoming a fact. He ignored the man's sudden string of curses with difficulty and helped Sasuke with his bag. He tried to slip past the man without a fuss and received a fist to his eye. Sasuke held his breath, expecting Naruto to retaliate, but all the blond did was sway slightly and continue onwards. Sasuke didn't receive the same treatment but wasn't sure whether he felt pleased or guilty about it. If anything, he felt gutless for not standing up to the man alongside Naruto.

When they got off, Naruto was still clutching his eye. Sasuke set down his bag and looked at Naruto. "C'mon, let me see it. It'll get worse if you keep touching it." He gently peeled Naruto's hand away from his eye and held in a grimace. His eyeball was bloodshot and watering. The surrounding area was an angry red. "Well, it's going to bruise. Congratulations, moron, you've made a great first impression." He sighed loudly and lightly touched the red skin with a finger. Naruto cringed. His skin must have been really tender. "Can- can you see?"

"Yeah. It just stings." Naruto shrugged off Sasuke's rare concern with a casual shrug. He bent over and shouldered Sasuke's bag. "Let's walk to town, then. I'm not paying another fare." He growled suddenly and spat on the ground. "This place is even shittier than the city." Sasuke's heart sank – a strange sensation.

He sighed loudly. "We only just got here. Stop being such a princess and let's go." Why did he have to be the cajoling and up-beat one? It had been Naruto's idea to move. That retard was so unreliable. Sasuke rolled his eyes briefly at the sky, noting with a flutter of gladness that it wasn't the stormy grey of the city but the yellow hue of spring rain-clouds.

It took fifteen minutes to reach the city centre and another twenty to find a cheap place to stay. They found a hostel that offered a room for only two thousand, six hundred ryo per night per room. Sasuke checked in at the reception, getting a room for them both on the fifth floor with an en suite bathroom: shower, toilet and sink. What the receptionist hadn't told them was that the bed was a double one.

"I can say something, you know, to the receptionist," Sasuke offered to the stony Naruto, still being the up-beat one. It was starting to grate on his nerves. He forced himself to dredge sympathy from Naruto's purple-ish eye.

"Don't worry about it. We won't be here for long." Naruto sounded cold, his eyes were distant. He was probably back in the city. Where he belonged. Sasuke bit his lip uncertainly.

"I'm going to have a shower," he told Naruto. The blond shrugged, sitting on the edge of the bed. Sasuke left him alone.

The bathroom was the most comforting sight Sasuke had seen in a long time. Cleanliness. A shower at last! He peeled off his clothes and stepped under the waterfall of hot water, watching brownish water slip off him as he soaped himself with the complimentary hostel soap. His hair, too, had a wash. He'd been trying his best with public toilets but they couldn't hold a candle to a proper shower. When he finally stepped out of the shower he felt pounds lighter.

After towelling himself, he pulled on his boxers – he needed another pair, desperately, deodorant too - and went to bed. Naruto was still sitting there, staring into space. Sasuke felt more than a bit disconcerted by Naruto's uncharacteristic behaviour now. "Are you going to have a shower?" Naruto blinked slowly, processing the question. His eyes slid reluctantly to Sasuke, bleakly taking in his milky chest and stomach and prominent bones. A small frown flickered on his face at Sasuke's skinniness.

"Sure." He stood and went into the bathroom. Sasuke pulled back the sheets and slid under them, relishing a real bed after the tough last few weeks on a pavement or a pile of rubbish. He snapped off the main light, engulfing the room in darkness.

Sasuke heard the shower start up in the bathroom and after a five minutes stop. There was a minute or two of silence as Naruto dried off and got dressed. He emerged in only boxers, as Sasuke had, bathed in the yellow light of the bathroom. Sasuke noticed for the first time how slim he was. He'd always appeared so stocky.

It made sense though; Naruto ate very little.

The bed squeaked loudly when Naruto slipped in beside Sasuke. The two boys were quiet with mortification – almost naked, in bed together. Other things that had happened, too. The world seemed dead-set on challenging their sexualities. Naruto shifted awkwardly – the first emotion Sasuke had seen since Naruto had got off the bus. Sasuke was curled up tightly on his side of the bed to ensure that he didn't touch Naruto. The tension was so thick it was suffocating.

Sleeping on the street side-by-side hadn't been a problem but… a bed had so many sexual implications. The bed let out a loud and long creak when Sasuke moved to get comfortable, making them both freeze and cringe. Naruto wondered if he would ever fall asleep, he felt so wound up. Weirdly, he could feel something unexpected bubbling up: laughter. He snorted – he couldn't help it. This was so _awful_.

His shoulders shook first, followed by the rest of him. He was almost crying! He could just imagine their expressions – mortified, terrified that they might touch in the night, the two of them in a marital bed… it was just too bad. Too funny. Naruto opened his mouth and let the laughter out, wheezing and spluttering.

Sasuke had jumped when Naruto had started laughing, staring cagily at his companion and fearing insanity. He only let himself relax when the laughter died some time later. He gave Naruto a long look, aware that Naruto wouldn't be able to see him staring in the gloom. So, he really was a retard. It was easy to see what was so funny though. He could have laughed too, if he hadn't been so humiliated. He settled for a small smile instead.

_Red Hill, it's truly great to meet you. _

**Diamond in the Dirt**

**Warning: Rated M**

Author's notes: The second one - after Italy. I told you this chapter was longer. Here is the longer one. Three thousand more words of fun. Enjoy it, and review again if you want. Awesome feedback for the first edit.

Author's notes: (The first one) And here it is, as promised. Thanks to those who reviewed, read and fav-ed last chapter.

My thoughts on this chapter are that it's brief, in a long way. If I'd let myself have my own way it would have ended up around 20,000 words long and wouldn't be posted until after Italy (that's two weeks, folks, count them). So you're stuck with 5,800 odd words and a lighter chapter.

Ooh, just for those who didn't know, the person from the last chapter was Sai. I had a few questions about that. Please continue to review as I do love the support and encouragement. I would say it inspires me (which it does) but I'm so whipped by this story that I'm hardly a factor in the writing of it. My fingers just type.

As for the name of the town. I stole it. Wolf's Rain OST, look it up. The boozer's song is called Wild Rover, I think. It's quite catchy, you can look that up on Youtube too.

Please enjoy. (And review).

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**Chapter nineteen  
Departing and drinking**

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End note: Unless I can speedily write up the next chapter, this will be the last for the next two weeks. I'll be back fully loaded with ideas though.

link for boozer song: www (.) youtube (.) com (/) watch?vJP4qSiJX3kQ (Just remove spaces and brackets. I don't know if it'll show up)

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	20. Clouds, confusion and crappy consolation

**Diamond in the Dirt**

**Warning: Rated M**

Author's notes: Those of you who didn't see that chapter nineteen is now nine thousand words long, go back and read. It's a million times better than it was before. It's not compulsory if you can't be bothered.

Please have fun with this chapter. The next one's not very fun. Actually, this one isn't very fun either.

Please keep reviewing! I'm so happy with the number of reviews and favs and alerts I got! Thank you so much!

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**  
Chapter twenty  
****Clouds, confusion and crap consolation**

Naruto woke up to find his knobbly spine pressed against an even knobblier one: Sasuke's. They were sleeping in a childlike fashion facing away from each other but joined at the middle of the bed. Like two 'C's back to back. Naruto's left leg was thrown over a pillow (_how had that got there?_) and he had an awful crick in his neck from losing (_ah_) his pillow to his leg. Sasuke was curled up and was snuffling in his sleep, which was what had awoken Naruto. He was probably dreaming.

Something had struck the blond as odd from the second he'd opened his eyes and now that his vision wasn't quite so fuzzy and blurry with sleep he placed it. The room was bathed in a totally surreal golden light. It couldn't be, could it? Naruto hauled himself up out of bed and went to the window to make sure. He pulled back the flimsy green curtain and there it was. Surrounded by a few grey cloud that promised rain but there. It was the sun!

"Why is it sunny _here_?" Naruto whined quietly, careful not to wake Sasuke. He wished he knew the time: so disconcerted by the sunny-ness of Red Hill, he couldn't even use his built-in clock to decipher the time.

They'd gone to bed really early the night before, he recalled. Late enough for it to be dark. Not that that made much of a difference, it being winter and the days being shorter and it generally getting dark around five-thirty. Sasuke hadn't been feeling too good after all the drink he'd had, though, and Naruto had been admittedly under the weather… speaking of which…

He padded into the bathroom to inspect his eye. _Gah_, now that he'd been reminded it began to hurt. In the crappy light of the bathroom he peered at the now purple bruise around his eye. Gross, it had even turned green at the edges. At least he could keep his eye open – that was a something positive – but the lid was swollen and it made him look lopsided. _Great._

While he was in the bathroom, he had his morning piss (door open – didn't think Sasuke would walk in). Trying to live up to the temporary better standards of life he had, he washed his hands afterwards too. He couldn't help checking out his eye in the mirror again. He'd had his fair share (and then some) of injuries in the past but this one ranked high. It looked absolutely disgusting. He could imagine what Sakura would say if she saw it:

"Ew! Naruto, what the hell _is_ that? On your face! No! Get away from me! Ew! Get out!" All high-pitched and shit. Ah, he missed her already.

He splashed a bit of water on it in a futile attempt to speed up the healing process. All that served to do was irritate his eye further and make him bad-tempered with the dull pain. He returned to the main room, where Sasuke continued to sleep, bundled up in the bed sheets. He looked a bit more rested here, understandably. Fewer worries, a bed and not to mention a bathroom (probably what he was most 'happy' about)… Naruto found himself smiling with gladness for Sasuke.

He thought of what they could do later on in the day. It looked as though rain was definitely going to fall in the afternoon so they couldn't stray too far from the hostel. They'd have to pay for another night, too, because Naruto didn't think they'd find a home on the streets _that_ quickly.

His stomach growled. He was starving hungry. He wished Sasuke-bastard would hurry up and wake up so they could grab something to eat. Would it piss Sasuke off a lot if he innocently tickled that exposed foot to get him up…?

Yes, most definitely. Oh well, he could go out and grab something before Sasuke's even _thought_ of waking up. Poor guy was exhausted. Shouldn't be up for at least another half-hour. He pulled on his clothes quickly, and hunted in his bag for some money. He then took the room key from the little table on Sasuke's side of the bed and exited as silently as he could. Sasuke snored on, unaware. He was surprised by how much he'd failed to notice last night. For example: the walls were yellow? He must have been walking with his eyes closed!

Similarly, when he stepped out onto the sunny streets of Red Hill – after cheerily greeting the foreign receptionist and booking the room for another night with the promise of cash when he returned – he noticed how tacky and dirty 'their' part of town seemed to be. He really had been walking around with his eyes closed. Who would have thought that pretty beach (ish) town Red Hill would be dirty like his old city?

That was actually promising, though. The poorer the standard, the more likely the chances of poverty. He had yet to see one tramp (stubbornly ignoring the fact that his observational skills yesterday had been on the bad side of terrible and he'd only been outside today for the grand total of forty-five seconds). He sauntered aimlessly up the street to where, hopefully, there'd be people or shops. Or both.

The top of their hostel's street bore a few shops and a straight road that seemed to go on forever. Must be the central road of Red Hill. Naruto walked into a small convenience store and bought Sasuke and him a packet of potato chips each, a sandwich selection pack (cheese and ham, egg mayonnaise, tuna and sweet corn), a two-litre-bottle of water for Sasuke, a one-litre-carton of juice for him and a multi-pack of cup ramen for later. He dropped his shopping on the counter with a sheepish grin at the cashier. Never had he bought so much – but what did the cashier know about that? He felt a little stupid as the cashier rang up and bagged his purchases.

"One-thousand-two-hundred-and-ninety-seven-ryo-please-thank-you." Naruto obediently counted out his money and handed the cashier two thousand.

"Seven-hundred-three-ryo-change-would-you-like-a-receipt." The cashier scooped out his change and deposited it into his palm. Naruto shook his head no for the receipt. "Thank-you-for-shopping-here-and-I-hope-you-come-back-soon." He sounded about as sincere as a sarcastic Sasuke and didn't even fake a smile so Naruto scowled at him as he left. If he didn't like his job, why didn't he quit? Naruto would've been more than willing to take up a job like that.

He glanced up at the sky and estimated very roughly around about how long it would take for the rain to start falling. The grey clouds were still quite close to the horizon. There was only a light breeze. That meant… roughly four, five hours? Naruto noticed how mild the weather was. The temperature was definitely in the high fifties.

Ambling back to the hostel in a good mood, he made a note of things to do. Like taking Sasuke sightseeing in the city only he didn't know anything. They could grab a map and take a look around at leisure until they found somewhere to settle or a job to do or something to anchor themselves to Red Hill.

He grinned at the receptionist – a different one – by way of greeting and counted out another night's pay, asking for a map and getting a thousand and one other leaflets along with it. Upstairs on the fifth floor he encountered a very angry Sasuke.

"Where the fuck were you? You idiot, why didn't you wake me up? Or think to tell me where you were going?" Sasuke was spitting with rage, and that amused Naruto no end in the mood he was in.

"Cool it, will ya." He was using his affable street accent. "Don't get so hot-headed. I went to the shop to get us something to eat is all, worry-guts." He poked his tongue out childishly, sending Sasuke to a whole new realm of fury.

"After what came over you yesterday, what did you expect? I was worried about your stupid, retard, moronic, idiotic self!" Sasuke was aghast at the rush of emotion that was overcoming him. Naruto's face suddenly became very mischievous and he smiled from ear to ear.

"Worried about me? I say, trying out new emotions is _very_ daring. _Risqué_." He was feigning a rich accent to taunt his frazzled companion. Sasuke stared pointedly at his eye and suggested he stopped looking for trouble. Naruto stuck his tongue out again sourly in retaliation, and considered not giving him breakfast.

After holding his glare for a few seconds, Sasuke sighed heavily, flopping back defeatedly onto the bed. A far cry from his search for an argument only a few days ago. It felt like months ago anyway, just like everything that had happened. And Naruto's teasing comment had only confirmed what he already knew. He was letting his feelings take over more and more and doing things he should have known to keep in. It wasn't even as if he was really worried about _Naruto_ was it? It was something much, much more humiliating.

Imagine _Sasuke_ panicking about being left _alone_. What would his father think? - **have** thought? This stranger within him was becoming more loathsome with each passing day, and stronger too, while he – Uchiha Sasuke - got a whole lot _weaker_. When would he get back to normal? Without realising it he hugged himself tightly, fists tuck under his arms. Holding himself together.

He was vaguely aware of things being handed to him. He took them automatically but didn't do anything with, well, with whatever these things were. It was his 'Living With Orochimaru Syndrome' again. No appetite, no thirst, no feelings, _nothing_. Unfortunately, Naruto was a bigger disturbance than Orochimaru – in some ways, anyway. He didn't let him disappear.

"Sasuke? Aren't you hungry?" _No, not really,_ Sasuke thought. He was brought back to the present, looking at Naruto's concerned and _benign_ face. He wasn't Orochimaru.

So he obediently took a bite out of the (ham and cheese) sandwich in his hand and chewed. He finished it to appease Naruto, so grateful that he was not Orochimaru.

Naruto watched him eat. He was confused, worried and pensive all at once. Sasuke had called _him_ inconsistent? He couldn't understand exactly why Sasuke would 'vanish' all of a sudden from time to time but he could _allow_ for it – grief, defence mechanism, whatever he had to do to keep going, right?. But at that moment he felt the most pressing **need** to draw Sasuke out, to make him happy. It was such a sudden rush of steadfast determination and surprising warmth that he felt unhinged for a moment, and then it passed.

Sasuke stared vacuously at 'him', unseeing. It wasn't as funny as it would've been in any other situation; it was just _sad_. Naruto hadn't really seen it since that first night after his house had burnt down, but Sasuke had lost _everything_. Not very perceptive of him one might think, but if you really thought about it…

Sasuke didn't let on that such a terrible series of unfortunate events had befallen him. He was as much a bastard now as he had been when Naruto had worked for that short while for his father. He still had a whole lot of fight in him. He didn't grieve, not the conventional way. But the truth was that he had no friends, no (known to Naruto, anyway) family, and everything he'd known was gone. Any bonds he'd ever had – be it with the postman or a teacher – had been severed.

So why hadn't he noticed that before? Why hadn't he seen that he'd been given this almost _destroyed_ person to look after? Because Sasuke caused no trouble and never raised the subject. It should have been so easy to help him, but what had he done? Argued, mocked and hell, _used_?

And, now that he **really** thought about it, Sasuke was so… _beautiful_. Why hadn't Naruto seen _that_ before? He'd noticed, physically, that Sasuke was good-looking. Of course he had. Obviously. But no, all over – inside and out – Sasuke was beautiful. He was somehow keeping himself together after everything. He was managing, fighting on bravely. Sure, he'd been impressed by his coping skills but…

He'd been alongside so many people during their times of hardship and struggling. He'd seen a lot of weeping, hurting, fighting and then coping. That's where Sasuke was different from other people. From Sakura, from Haku, from Kiba – they'd been put through the wringer but they'd all lost their innocence and a big part of themselves along the way.

Sasuke had stayed the same through it all. He'd seen no tears. No fierce denial. No anger or despair. That's what set him apart from the others. But was that right? Naruto felt as though a fist had closed around his heart.

He didn't want Sasuke to be brave. He wanted him to fall apart _with him_ so that he could pick up the pieces and put him together right. Not like Kiba, who'd been fixed by alcohol. Not like Sakura, who'd been mended with sex and money. Not like Haku, who'd suffered so much before he found Zabuza and was now a part of the corruption of the city. He wanted Sasuke to be okay at the end of it all. Happy. Really alive. Whole.

It suddenly dawned on Naruto that he didn't have a crush on Sasuke. No, it wasn't that at all. Nor had it ever been. He was desperately, impossibly, helplessly in love with Sasuke.

How had that happened? It seemed that now that he 'knew' everything that had happened in the past few weeks fell into place. The way he worried constantly about Sasuke, the way he let Sasuke get his own way far too often and without a fight, the way his thoughts consisted only of Sasuke. And finally - the dream aside - he'd shamefully _jerked off_ over Sasuke. And if that wasn't enough, he'd only gone and moved away to another city with Sasuke.

And now what? Physically he felt dizzy, shocked that this could happen. Not at all like he imagined love to be. For one thing (not that he worried too much about it – love was for the person, not the gender) Sasuke was not a woman (his fantasies took on a more conventional heterosexual pairing). For another, he didn't feel 'lighter than air' nor 'as if everything was right in the world' (as Haku had described once to him about being around Zabuza) and had no thoughts whatsoever about marriage and children (conventional fantasy again). He felt lost, uncomprehending. Did it really just sneak up on you like that?

The silence that had fallen over the room was strange enough to draw them both out of their thoughts simultaneously and blink at each other disconcertedly. Naruto cracked first, laughing awkwardly and scratching the back of his head. Sasuke arched an eyebrow and Naruto wished he knew what Sasuke had been thinking about.

"So, I was thinking we could look around today before it rains." He stopped. Sasuke didn't know it was going to rain. "It's going to start raining a few hours from now. Ah. You probably don't want to get wet. I don't… it's, erm, not nice… to be wet." He finished lamely, well aware of how awful he sounded. Sasuke was kind enough not to comment.

"Okay." Sasuke felt awkward, too. I _must look insane_, he thought as he unwound his arms from around himself. At least his brief knuckle-biting faze seemed to be under control. Naruto's own awkwardness made it so much worse. _Did Naruto think he was mad?_ He bore the brunt of his 'funny turns' being around him almost twenty-four-seven ('almost' because one of them inevitably had a strop and went off alone, only to return within an hour or two – it was usually Sasuke who did this).

"So, do you want to have a shower or something before we leave?" Naruto asked when Sasuke neither moved from the bed nor spoke again. If the atmosphere got any more awkward he feared they might drown in it.

"Oh. Yeah." Sasuke stood fluidly and walked into the bathroom a little too fast. Naruto sat heavily on the bed and buried his head in his hands. Was this how it was going to be? He pinched the bridge of his nose in an attempt to dispel his dizziness, tilting his head back. He really wished he knew what Sasuke was thinking. Why was _he_ acting so awkward?

When Sasuke emerged some time later – unknown to Naruto, he'd been pulling himself together fiercely – Naruto was lying back on the bed with his eyes closed, looking despairing. He did a sarcastic double take when Naruto cracked open his eyes. Naruto unceremoniously shoved his awkwardness aside and grinned widely at Sasuke.

"It'll be tough to leave that shower behind, you know. Kiba told me the golden rule about becoming attached: you shouldn't name it – it personalises it. Makes it yours." He was just teasing, but Sasuke's eyes rolled irritably. Naruto ploughed on regardless. "Too late, huh?" Sasuke couldn't resist the gentle coax.

"By minutes," Sasuke reassured in a mutter. Naruto blinked in content surprised and laughed at him. He was filled with a warm bubble of happiness at his unforeseen success.

"No! What did you call it?" He sat up in mock fascination. Sasuke thought about it. Was it going to far? He let himself humour Naruto.

"Ayame." He watched Naruto for his reaction. First a lip twitch, and then a full-bellied laugh! It wasn't so much the joke as the delivery, Sasuke knew, just as it had been when he'd described the 'absolute zero' weather conditions on the city streets at night as 'refreshing'. He let a small smile find his lips because the moment allowed for it.

"Shall we go then, Sasuke-bastard?" Naruto asked, getting to his feet. Sasuke nodded.

The sun was still out and the rain clouds were still close to the horizon, but the wind had picked up into that 'before the storm' style blowing. It made the air feel moist and thicker. Naruto showed Sasuke what he believed to be the main street, and Sasuke consulted the free map and affirmed that it was, indeed, the main street. It led right down to the sea.

"We could go there later," Naruto suggested, a touch of wistfulness in his tone. Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"If it's going to rain, what's the point? It'll just take longer to get back to the hostel. We should find somewhere more permanent to live first – there'll be time to look at the sea another day." He felt disconcertingly like a parent, something he didn't like. He wished he could swallow his words and say something scornful and cutting to Naruto instead. Perfect opportunity missed.

"Yeah, you're right," Naruto conceded, peering at the map that Sasuke held. Eurgh, he wasn't even going to attempt to read it. To save face he frowned at a few labelled locations. Sasuke followed his gaze and consulted the legend: 'Home of Uchiha Madara'. His heart plummeted – what were the chances of that? He knew of Uchiha Madara, of course – exiled from the family in disgrace for killing his brother in a fight. He'd left the country once he'd been exiled though; this must have been his home before he'd killed his brother.

"What's up?" Naruto asked Sasuke. Sasuke looked up sharply. He'd forgotten about Naruto thinking about the odd coincidence.

"The founder of my family, Uchiha Madara, lived here. Look," he pointed at the number and showed Naruto the reference. Naruto raised his eyebrows in surprise.

"Hey, I've heard of him!" Naruto exclaimed excitedly as he read out 'Home of Uchiha Madara' aloud. "He killed his brother, didn't he? Jiraiya told me about him ages ago, when I was a kid. It was when Orochimaru's status went up and all that. He said he'd like to see Orochimaru get bigger than Uchiha Madara and then told me the story. I didn't even think you'd be related to him." Naruto's eyes shone with triumph at his knowledge. "So you must know all of the facts!" He looked at Sasuke eagerly.

"He killed his brother in a fight," Sasuke said stiffly, surprised by Naruto's knowledge of his family history. It'd been hard enough for him and Itachi to get the information from their father. "What more is there to it?" Naruto's mouth fell open.

"Of course there's more. He was _lethal._" Naruto paused, trying to remember the story he'd been told all those years ago. He hit a wall of 'blank' in his mind, infuriatingly. "Ah, I forget all the facts. I know he did some pretty awful things." They walked in silence for a bit. Sasuke was curious now. It was just typical of Naruto to forget something so important to him.

"Killing your brother is a pretty awful thing," Sasuke said simply. "Maybe that's all he did." Naruto bit his lip, disagreeing.

"Yeah, but he's quite well-known. I mean, since this was all a hundred odd years ago; he's not so big _now_, but he did a lot more than kill his brother for the streets to know about him." He wrinkled his nose, urging the story to come to him. He couldn't remember – there were so many street legends, big and small. Even his father qualified.

"I haven't seen any beggars yet," Sasuke said to change the subject. Naruto looked around them, as if they would just pop out because he was seeking them. It had been worrying him, too, that they hadn't come across any seedy areas yet and had been walking for ten minutes. He stayed optimistic.

"Let's get off the main street. A smart beggar wouldn't sit on the main street anyway. They're probably closer to the outside of town, where the locals are." Sasuke nodded grimly, trying to share his cheery optimism. It was not him, however, and his usual pessimism crept in and whispered the bad ends they would come to.

They walked around Red Hill until the rain actually started to fall and found nothing. Even when the number of houses thinned and all they could see was green countryside there was not one poor person. It seemed that Red Hill housed only wealthy people and wealthy people on holiday. They both realised this and it was like a kick in the stomach. _What would they do now? _

Despite the heavy rain fall and odd rumble of thunder in the distance they walked back slowly, bodies heavy with their individual worries. Sasuke kept his head low, staring at the ground, to keep the rain off his face as he turned their predicament over and over in his mind. On the borders of his mind, kept at bay by his defences, lingered the dreadful thoughts of what would become of him if he had to go back to Orochimaru. He couldn't live like that.

_He didn't want to die._

Naruto anguished about Sasuke, blaming himself for taking him from one danger to another hopeless end. _How had everything gone so wrong from that sunny morning? _He had been so confident everything would work out. He'd been sure he'd manage a new life for a few months with profound success. In his mind he already had enough to buy out a business in the city. An honourable one, too, not brothels or drugs. He glanced gloomily at Sasuke, sorry he'd failed him.

Back at the hostel, dripping wet and shivering, they stared at each other bleakly. Even Naruto found dredging up some cheeriness difficult, but he tried his best. "They'll be here somewhere," he promised. "We'll just look somewhere else. Maybe ask around." _Yeah, right,_ he thought bitterly, _'excuse me, where are the poor people?' __**That**__ was going to happen. _

Sasuke nodded vaguely, staring ahead as rainwater trickled from his sodden bangs down his nose and cheeks. Again he found himself asking why everything was going wrong for him. _They couldn't go back to the city._ Dread seized him as he was reminded of the times under the guardianship of Orochimaru that he could barely remember but knew he could never go back to. He'd rather die. He shivered dejectedly, seeing Naruto bite his lip worriedly at him in his peripheral.

Naruto went into the bathroom and emerged with two towels. He set one down beside Sasuke and dried his own hair, making it spike up even more than normal, terribly out of place and fluffy. Sasuke did nothing, even when Naruto spoke to him. He could feel himself sinking into despair and hated it – he was screaming at himself – but he couldn't help it. He blinked.

Naruto took Sasuke's towel in his two hands and stiffly (through awkwardness) towel-dried Sasuke's hair, too. Sasuke didn't react at all, and that was when Naruto became really worried. He dutifully finished drying Sasuke's hair (to reduce the chances of him getting a cold) but was still faced with the dilemma of getting him to change his clothes. _He_ wasn't going to change Sasuke. Sasuke's pride would be in tatters and he didn't even want to think of the humiliation for him. He draped the duvet around Sasuke's shoulder and sighed. Sasuke still hadn't moved.

"Sasuke? Bastard?" Naruto tried to roust him out of his silence half-heartedly. If Sasuke hadn't responded before, he wouldn't now. Naruto could feel every drop of hope he had left draining away. He sighed, running a hand through his hair. _Okay_, he breathed, he'd have a shower and change out of his wet clothes and if Sasuke still hadn't moved then he'd do something drastic. He didn't know what drastic thing he'd actually do, but he was counting on Sasuke snapping out of it before the time came.

In the bathroom he took his time: peeled his clothes off slowly, examined his bruise thoroughly, and made faces in the mirror. In the shower he washed his hair three times and soaped himself twice. When he stepped out his skin was stiff with alkaline soap and his fingertips uncomfortably wrinkly. He abruptly realised that the only dry clothes he owned at that moment were his rags and old shirt. No underwear. Still, nothing could be done about that and it wasn't as though he was going out again, so he wrapped his towel around his waist and hung his wet clothes up around the bathroom to dry. He left the bathroom to get his dry clothes.

Sasuke hadn't budged an inch, so he sighed again, got dressed in the bathroom and sat down on the bed, thinking. Sasuke didn't even look at him. Naruto was bad at this – he didn't think he'd ever been faced with a problem like this - but he launched bravely into reducing Sasuke's depression. He closed his eyes, taking a shaky breath.

"I was an orphan before I turned four." His voice sounded loud in the intense quiet. "My mother died first. You won't believe this, but I actually had a house." He watched Sasuke. He hadn't reacted or made any sign that he'd been listening. Naruto ploughed on. "We got kicked out for some reason. Probably didn't pay some bill or another, you know what the government's like, especially when you've not got much money in the first place. Our place was a hovel. I still remember it." He laughed uncomfortably, feeling like he was talking to himself.

"It took my mother the grand total of a month to fall into drugs. Actually, it was probably a lot less than that but that was when my father found out anyway. I had no idea what was going on. I just trailed after them waiting for them to rescue me because that's what parents are supposed to do. They're your heroes, right?" He swallowed. Talking about how he'd ended up on the street to Sasuke made him feel a bit strange. Most people knew about how he'd ended up there but of course they all had their own stories, so his never meant much.

"My mother died – overdose, apparently, but you can never be sure when somebody's involved with the drug people – but we only found out a month after she died. She disappeared more and more and then she never came back. My dad didn't love her anymore. He said it was better for us if she was gone. Again, I didn't really know what was going on. It was horrible though; I saw really horrible things. My dad got into fights with people. Sometimes he was knocked out and I was just left there with him, waiting for him to wake up." He could see the scene in his mind. The blood on his father's face and clothes, the people he fought with laughing at him. It didn't affect him much anymore, but it had been the subject of a lot of nightmares over the next few years.

"Just before I turned four, he got into this huge fight. Wrong person. He used to pick fights with whoever he saw doing something he didn't like, y'know: bullying weaker people, threatening others, offering drugs to children… This guy had power, but my dad got him when he was on his own. I was there with him and he said something to me, offering me a job, I think – nothing too bad, I probably just shook my head as I always did when people spoke to me. But my dad lost it. Started punching this guy in the face, knocking him to the floor and kicking him. We just left him there. The next day my dad was killed by hit men, but not before becoming this minor street legend. _Minato – the one who stood up to someone with power._ He's so minor because they don't even know who he beat up. It was probably somebody under somebody with power." Naruto laughed bitterly.

"I stayed with the brats for a bit. Absolutely hated it, but they took me on happily and I met some good people. There was this guy there that everyone called their brother. They're all desperate for contacts at that age, and Iruka -" he'd remembered the guys name, the one he'd been trying to tell Sasame about. "Iruka was everybody's first contact. I was only there for a little while. Jiraiya knew my father and took me under his wing. Brought me up to cope properly. He and everyone else went on about my father being a hero. Ha, I'm not so sure. What kind of hero leaves their four year old kid by himself on the streets? For the sake of a few fights with bad people – he's a _real_ hero." Naruto gave another bitter laugh. He'd voiced all of this to Jiraiya once, but had been hit upside the head and told never to bad-mouth his father ever again.

"I started meeting people, making my own contacts. Haku, Sakura, Gaara," his list would have gone on forever, so he limited it to people Sasuke knew. "And loads more. Some of them died, some of them changed into people I didn't like, some of them managed to make some money and now have a home and regular, honest work. That's what happens. I met other people, like Kiba, later. So I saw drugs, alcoholism, prostitution – my best friend went into prostitution when I was eight and he came back crying to me – through the 'formative years'. Jiraiya didn't hide it from me. You can't hide these things if you're going to cope with them.

"I was lucky. I was brought up by somebody with a roof over their head, never fell into drugs or prostitution and my contacts through Jiraiya gave me 'untouchable status'. People generally left me alone or seeked to befriend me. That's not to say that I didn't ever get into trouble – got my arm broken twice and my wrist even more." He twisted his wrist as he spoke. "Once, somebody kicked my bottom rib in – that hurt like, well, a kick in the ribs." He grinned ruefully, looking at Sasuke, who seemed to be paying attention.

"So, what I'm trying to say is that life is by no means a barrel of laughs for anyone. Especially in these shitty, corrupt times where everyone you meet is out to get you. I don't think I know one person who hasn't been knocked into the dirt by life. But you can't let it beat you. If life is smashing you to pieces, throw your head back and laugh at it even if you feel like breaking down and crying." He cringed slightly at how upbeat and cheery he sounded. He could just about add a fist-shake.

"It's not the same," Sasuke said flatly, turning to face Naruto. Naruto was dismayed to find that Sasuke looked _angry_. "You were young. You don't remember your parents. Your family. You said yourself you were lucky, and you're right. You don't know what it's like to lose the family you've lived with for seventeen years," he almost sounded accusing. Naruto sensed a fight.

"I know it's not the same," he gabbled hurriedly. "I'm just trying to help you out. You'll get sick if you let it get to you." Naruto could see that what he said was not making Sasuke any calmer.

"I didn't ask for your help," he said furiously. His voice shook. "I've never asked for anybody's help. Everything would have been fine if I'd just stayed away from you." He didn't need to say that if he'd stayed away from Naruto from the beginning he would have died in the fire. Naruto was taken aback, and then a little irritated at Sasuke for being so negative.

"What are you going to do then? Sit around thinking about every bad thing that's ever happened to you and looking for somebody to blame?" Naruto gave a snort of ridicule. "Go ahead. See how far that gets you." Sasuke was silent for a long moment and then he got up and left the room, slamming the door behind him. The duvet that had warmed him lay crumpled in forlorn abandon. Naruto thought to go after him – it was raining, he was upset, something bad could happen to him – but decided not to. Sasuke needed some time alone. They both did.

* * *


	21. Occasional optimism

**Diamond in the Dirt**

**Warning: Rated M**

Author's notes: Hi. Are you dead? That may be what you're thinking. Well, in answer to that: No, I am not. I was just inexcusably uninspired. It was the worst feeling ever, especially as when I actually forced myself to write three thousand words just came pouring out. I think I just had what's called 'laziness'. Has anybody heard of that?

About this chapter: Sasuke is, like, not in it much. Why? I don't know. He was just being really bitchy to me. So I cut him out. Also, a new and unexpected character! Who? I won't say. But I didn't even know he'd feature in this. I mean, he just popped up out of nowhere. It's also a bit of a weird chapter for me.

Finally, there are probably typos. Watch out for those. They pack a mean punch.

* * *

**  
Chapter twenty-one  
Occasional optimism**

Sasuke was so angry that he didn't even notice the rain. He knew it was there, pelting him and making his clothes stick flush against his skin, but it wasn't on his mind. The streets were empty. Blissfully empty. He needed a break from people. The very infrequent car would drive past with a full-bodied _hiiish _on the slick black tarmac. He could tune it out so that it didn't burst his isolation.

He was suddenly so sick and tired of Naruto. It wasn't a rational feeling. It was just the overwhelming need to be away from his optimistic, hopeful selflessness.

He took long, shuddering breaths as he walked, trying to subdue the raging monster within him. He had never felt so furious, so blind with rage. He hadn't even thought he was so capable of intense emotion, so apathetic and stoic he was. And the more he thought, the more his anger was fueled until he thought he'd explode with it. He was hot despite the rain, sweat mingling with the precipitation.

He turned onto a new street. This one was more populated, obviously a haunt for businesspeople who did overtime. Even though he didn't want to be around people, he stubbornly refused to alter his route. As he walked past cafés and bistros he was offered various meal-deal vouchers and newspapers. It grated on his nerves more and more.

"_Can't you see I'm not fucking interested in your shit?_" his anger tore at the back of his throat. The person handing out the leaflet looked shocked, and people who had heard him had stopped to stare. He probably looked crazy. He let out a shaky laugh and carried on walking.

If he was mad, who could blame him? His parents had died. His brother had died. He'd been raped. He'd been drugged. He lived on the fucking streets. He was being hunted down like an animal. Didn't that warrant madness? It sounded like paranoia. If only it was. Then at least it'd only be his mental health he'd have to worry about. He let out another shaky laugh. Caught sight of himself in a dark windows. Wild eyes. Hair plastered to his head. Pale. Mouth gaping. He let out an involuntary strangled noise, half laughter half sob.

What was wrong with him? How long had he been out here, walking the streets without seeing them? He was so wet now he wouldn't be surprised if he was absorbing it. The sky was dark. It was night, he could tell even with the black rain clouds.

What had his mother told him about the rain that time the storms had frightened him? It was something he'd always been so scornful of. Such a trite thing to say. _The tears of angels_, washing away the world's pain so that not a trace remained for the daylight. When it rains at night, mother had told him, the rain is more powerful because the moon helps to make the sun happy. _'If you're ever caught in the rain, remember it's your angel taking away all your sadness. It's not scary at all! And if you look hard enough, maybe you'll see that your angel's there with you.'_

He glanced around him. _Where are you?_ Sasuke asked silently into to the relentless rainfall and darkness. He was so alone. He felt more abandoned now than he'd ever felt before. His mother had lied. He was looking.

He felt the rage drain away from him until none was left. He was tired. He could just stop here until morning. He stepped under the hanging ledges of the buildings surrounding him and sat down, watching the rain fall. He felt so empty all of a sudden. He closed his eyes to blissful darkness.

"Hey, I found you. What are the chances of that, huh?" Naruto smiled down at him, blond hair plastered to his head with rain, clothes soaked through but genuinely happy to have found him. "C'mon, let's get back to the hostel before we both get sick." He offered a hand to Sasuke who took it numbly and hauled Sasuke to his feet effortlessly.

They walked slowly to the hostel. Sasuke's pace. The rain slowed down to a steady dripping. Naruto didn't speak a word the whole way back and Sasuke was grateful. He felt fragile. Unstable.

The bright walls and heat of the hostel was an almost unbearable contrast to outdoors. The receptionist raised an eyebrow at the two of them but silently handed them their room key when Naruto asked for their door number. Sasuke closed his eyes to his surroundings. He could feel the receptionist's stare.

In their room he collapsed onto the bed, wrapping himself up in the duvet in his wet clothes. Naruto still said nothing, only turning off the main light and heading into the bathroom to dry himself and his hair. The clothes he'd left to dry were damp now, not sodden. He was forced to wear his damp boxers seeing as Gaara's clothes hadn't included underwear.

Because Sasuke had taken the duvet, he had to make do with the blankets left out in case of colder weather. They weren't the warmest, but he was more concerned with Sasuke's health than his own. Sasuke had confessed that he was very prone to sickness.

It took Naruto a long time to fall asleep. He kept thinking about the fear that had gripped him when Sasuke hadn't returned and when he couldn't find him anywhere on the alien streets of Red Hill. The hot relief he'd felt when he'd seen Sasuke hunched up with cold in the pitiful shelter of a ledge. He wanted so desperately to reach out and help him, but look at where that had got him.

An icy hand touched his arm. Sasuke had fallen asleep and had rolled over. He skin looked so pale it was almost blue in the darkness. Naruto watched him for a few seconds. What could he do? He took Sasuke's hand, warming it as he'd done for Haku the few times they'd slept out on the streets together. He'd always been more adaptable to cold than any of his friends, apart from Gaara who seemed to be made of ice and therefore immune to cold.

Despite the fact that he was only holding onto Sasuke's hand to warm him up a bit, it felt distinctly weird. He imagined what Sasuke would do if he woke up; Haku wouldn't have given it a second thought. He returned Sasuke's hand once it was warm.

He sighed into his pillow, pausing his thoughts to breath in the nice smell of laundered sheets. The hostel might be cheap and more than a little tacky but he was enjoying the small luxuries. It'd be tough to go back onto the streets.

His eyes finally closed as he turned the day's events over and over in his head and he dreamt of tomorrow and the days that lay ahead. His dreams were his nightmares: running out of money, Sasuke giving up, getting caught by Orochimaru. He awoke with a start when he was shot in his dream, a patch of skin tingling on his chest. He was sweating.

When he drifted back into sleep he dreamt different scary dreams. Nightmares he'd had about his father as a child. New ones about horrible things happening to his friends in his absence. When he awoke to daylight he felt drained and muzzy, giving up on sleep. Sasuke still hadn't woken up.

It was clear again outside. Naruto spent a good twenty minutes watching the outside world, enjoying the pleasant feeling of escape it gave him. He could take the mind of any passer-by and create his life story.

_I have a wife and three kids but I'm worried I don't have enough money to pay the bills. I might lose my home._

_I love my boyfriend but I love my best friend too. I keep messing them both around._

_I'm rich but I feel so lonely. Sometimes I want to end it all._

Naruto stopped when he realised that all of these 'life stories' he'd created for each person had a dilemma. Why couldn't anybody – even imaginary – have a perfect life? He could have said that the man with three kids loved his job and was getting promoted. The woman who loved her boyfriend could be getting married. The rich man could be donating huge amounts to a good cause and feel immensely satisfied.

How would his perfect life be? _I am a successful businessman. I work for equal opportunities for all social classes. I have enough power to make a big difference. I have a nice house and am never short of money. I donate to and help at charity events. My friends are all very happy. I am very happy and… _He could go no further. He would want Sasuke in his life, but it felt so wrong to say _'I have Sasuke beside me'_. He didn't know if Sasuke belonged in his life at all.

Sure, Sasuke was a big part of him now, but he didn't belong. Belonging meant fitting in. Sasuke was as much of the poverty scene as ham was a part of a vegetable. Naruto's stomach growled loudly and he stopped his musing. He flicked a look back at Sasuke. He wouldn't go to the shop again without telling him. Sasuke brow crinkled then smoothed in his sleep as if he'd read Naruto's thoughts on going to the shop and approved of his decision against it. Naruto let out a low chuckle and he resumed his observing defeatedly. He imagined it smelt damp and earthy because the pavements were still wet with rain and the occasional puddle scarred the straight walkways.

He was reminded briefly of Sasuke yesterday. His gut twisted with pity. No, pity was the wrong word. He **understood** Sasuke's feelings, but… he'd looked yesterday the way he should have looked the day his family died. Grieving – unbearably so. Was it good that some of it had come out or would it only serve to damage his soul more? Naruto looked at Sasuke as if to check. He slept on, giving no sign of unquietness. Of course not – why would he?

His stomach gave another loud growl and clenched emptily. Eurgh, surely he'd starve to death. He could barely remember the last time he'd eaten. It felt like years but he didn't trust his feelings on that thought: hunger affected his timing terribly. He cleared his throat in a guilty attempt to rouse Sasuke and when his stab at waking him failed he let out an exasperated sound.

"Sasuke?" he tried quietly, following it with a cough. Sasuke stirred fractionally. "Sasuke?" Naruto tried a bit louder, and cleared his throat again. Sasuke's eyes opened slowly.

"Mmnng?" Sasuke responded, yawning and closing his eyes again.

"I'm going to go to the shop, okay?" Naruto almost cried with relief. **Food!**

"Mmnyeh," Sasuke mumbled, burying his face in his pillow. Naruto bit his lip and prayed that Sasuke had actually taken in what he had said. He decided (again, guiltily) that it wasn't his problem if Sasuke hadn't paid attention. He wished he could leave a note or something.

Sasuke couldn't get back to sleep once he'd opened his eyes. Gradually the orangey sunlight pulled him further and further out of his slumber until he threw back the duvet and sat up. He noticed he was wet and still dressed in yesterday's clothes and was reminded embarrassingly of his, ah, 'breakdown'. He looked around the room for Naruto, and discerned that he had already left. For that he was grateful – he needed to prepare himself to deal with the aftermath. Naruto would most probably interfere or bestow some embarrassing pearls of his own wisdom upon him. And he didn't want anymore of that, thank you very much.

Naruto's story had been… interesting. But he wasn't sure he'd wanted to know. He couldn't think of anybody who had confided in him before and it felt uncomfortable to feel included in a part of somebody's life in which he had no part for the first time. An intrusion, almost. He expected that he'd feel robbed if he ever confided in anybody about anything. He'd never been able to abide the gossip, secret-sharing girls at his old school. They'd seemed so blank and simple-minded – it came as a surprise to simple-minded, secret-sharing Naruto didn't seem as detestable as those girls.

Sasuke slipped out of bed and into the bathroom – fast becoming a shrine to him: his memories of shower-less days on the street seemed increasingly horrific – peeling off his clothes with a grimace. His skin was clammy to the touch and his hair had dried slick to his head. He stepped under the hot water and prayed his immune system would come through for him. What they really didn't need right now was him being bedridden, for any amount of time. He sighed into the water, rubbing his face tiredly.

Out of the bathroom, he rummaged around in their bags for Gaara's clothes. He pulled on a dark grey woollen v-neck and dark trousers, almost pleased by Gaara's taste in clothes. Neutral but smart – exactly what Sasuke had worn at home. He curled up on the bed, resting his cheek on his pillow and watching the shadows cast on the walls. After five minutes, the door opened and Naruto grumbled something.

"Oh, you're awake! And you found our spare clothes. I forgot about them." Sasuke glanced at Naruto, who was wincing sheepishly. He quirked and eyebrow. "I've got us fruit – that will keep for a few days – and loads of tinned stuff. I just need to get a can-opener from somewhere… Do you want something?"

"Yeah, I'm kind of hungry…" Sasuke replied slowly, forcing any embarrassment whatsoever out of his voice. Yesterday was yesterday, today was today – no use in letting a memory make him any more pathetic. Naruto tossed him the carrier bag and he pulled out an apple. He stared at it bizarrely: how long had it been since he'd eaten this simple fruit? They'd ceased to exist in his mind and for some reason seeing one left him feeling oddly out of sorts.

"Oi, Sasuke," Naruto drawled, "it's not going to kill you." Sasuke frowned and took a bite. Still the bland, undecorated flavour he remembered, yet different somehow. It was a luxury.

"Thanks," he murmured inarticulately, still surveying the apple with some degree of peculiarity.

"Hey, no problem," Naruto threw back casually. After a little while he cleared his throat so that Sasuke looked at him. "Erm, actually, I was wondering if I could go out alone. To look for a job. I'd be happier if you stayed here, after… last night." Naruto told him truthfully. Sasuke immediately felt his face burn with shame and he hung his head a fraction to hide his red cheeks.

"Yeah. Do whatever. I might sleep some more." Sasuke hardly knew what he was saying. So long as they didn't discuss his behaviour he didn't really care. And having Naruto away for the day would definitely give him some time to rally his defences again. To sort himself out. His heart sunk dismally.

"O-okay," Naruto replied uncertainly, having expected an argument or a snarky response. He perched on the edge of the bed to eat a banana, politely breakfasting with Sasuke. He was anxious to get on his way, though. He wasn't about to tell Sasuke how much money they had left unless he absolutely had to. Today he **would** find some work.

Fifteen minutes later he waved goodbye to a curled up Sasuke and hurried out of the hostel. He didn't even know where to start. He realised he'd left the maps back in the room. Damn. Riddled with guilt he also realised that he didn't want to see Sasuke just yet. So he left the maps behind.

He wondered if he could try asking around in shops, trying to dispel his guilt back immersing himself fully in his quest to find work. They would inevitably ask for identification of some sort, but what street kid would have a birth certificate? In the city he might have been able to get a false one but how could he do that here when he barely knew his way to the shops? It irritated him **so much**. The bastards that made up the government, he thought with vehemence, they hated the poor so much and yet they give them no opportunities to find their own work and homes and higher social classes. It was ludicrous.

He tried one shop anyway, just to see what they said. "If I applied for a job here, or anywhere, what kind of things would I need? Résumé? ID?"

"All of those, and a valid work permit." Of course. _Of course_. Of course the 'real job' he'd dreamed of in Red Hill didn't exist.

Discouraged but definitely still determined, Naruto approached citizens, hotels and hostels, and even a park keeper asking if they needed a reliable handyman. He offered cleaning, gardening and every odd job on the earth. The people were incredibly polite to him, apologising profusely as they regrettably informed him that they had somebody to do it for them – a cleaner, a husband, a son or a daughter.

He tried asking the leaflet people about how they got their jobs but they all seemed to work for the company they were distributing leaflets for. He tried asking in a hair salon if they needed anyone to sweep up for them and although the hairdressers and junior staff fawned over him and his hair, they too told him they didn't need anymore staff. The female attention boosted his spirits slightly, but they came crashing back down when they turned down his offer.

He finally went walking along the beach front, trying hard to stay optimistic. There were still places he hadn't tried, and it was still early in the day. There was still hope. He tried asking a fishmonger if he needed anymore fishermen, but was laughed at. Apparently he got the fish delivered from somewhere else. Not Red Hill's very own sea. It seemed illogical to Naruto. A waste. He didn't think too much about it though.

He pondered opening his own business. A lemonade stand? He pictured the childish business with scepticism. He was not a cute six year old with bad spelling. Well, he had the bad spelling, but he was definitely not six. He'd be better off opening a male brothel, like Haku, than trying to pull off a lemonade stand. _How do you make lemonade, anyway?_

Naruto sat down on the sand, looking out moodily at the sea. What about a stall selling those tacky inflatable sea whatsits? Lilos and water wings and such. But where would he get them from? Somebody was bound to have already opened a store selling the things. All of these things needed money anyhow. And money was in short supply. Icy dread washed over him. This was a stupid idea. From the very beginning, Red Hill had been a stupid idea. Safe or unsafe, the city was better from them.

He rubbed his eyes hard with the heels of his hands, shouting at himself mentally. Stupid, stupid, stupid. He was so _stupid_. Out of the fucking frying pan and into the fucking fire. _Shit_. He exhaled. Inhaled. Begged for calm. He could not despair right now. Absolutely not. He dug his hands into his eyes a bit harder, seeing swirly pink, green and yellow patterns in the darkness. Ouch. He removed his hands, wincing as the swirly patterns remained, marking the beach. Like some weird trip on drugs.

He tilted his head back. He'd got them into the mess and he _would_ get them back out of it. He was brought up tougher than this.

"What the hell do you think you're doing, laddy?" Naruto jumped at the mellow voice and looked at the speaker, heart racing. He frowned at a white-haired man wearing an (?) eye patch.

"Who the hell are you? A pirate?" Naruto snapped at him, clutching his heart. "And where do you get off scaring me?" The odd man brandished a broom and stabbed at the air around Naruto, laughing. Naruto recoiled, a look akin to horror on his face at the man's antics.

"If this broom were a sword I guess I could well be a pirate, eh?" He laughed and Naruto winced. What a freak! "What are you doing out on the beach? No one comes out here until March. You a tourist?" Naruto stood up and shrugged warily.

"You could say that."

"I see. And how long are you staying here?" The man put his broom down on a trolley behind him. Naruto recognised it as one of those bin-trolleys road cleaners in the city used.

"A couple of months." He recoiled again when the man sat down heavily, one leg stretched in front of him. Naruto realised with horror that it was a false leg – hardy shiny plastic underneath the man's trousers. He tried not to make a face but the man had probably seen it all before.

"I'm a real pirate – peg-leg and eye patch. The parrot's in the bin." He pointed at his trolley. "It's nasty, isn't it? You don't want to see what's under my eye patch either, trust me." Naruto looked briefly at the eye patch and wondered what was underneath it.

"What happened?" His curiosity got the better or him.

"Got myself into a few fights when I was younger. First was my eye. Second was my leg. Stupid thing for me to do, looking for trouble in the state I was in. I guess you live and learn, kid." He shrugged helplessly, but didn't _look_ very bothered about his past. He reminded Naruto of Jiraiya, who'd seen and done so much he was unshakable. Naruto had once said to him that he could die and all he'd do is nod his head complacently at the reaper.

"Why? I mean, why did you get into fights?"

"Ah, you wouldn't know much about it, would you?" the man sighed, looking at Naruto out of the corner of his visible. Naruto shrugged in response.

"Try me. I know quite a few things." The man intrigued him. So much like a piece of home in this strange town.

"I see. More than just a tourist, huh? I'll tell it to you, then. It's not a very long story – I used to live in a city away from old Red Hill. Well, you know how cities are. Many, many poor people. Me, I was one of them. Of course, you won't understand how poor 'poor' really is, will you?" the man gave Naruto a conspiratorial look. "I won't bore you with the details though. I got me involved with drugs and when I couldn't pay off my debts I got hunted down. I put up a fair fight the first time. I was lucky. The second time weren't so good, so I moved myself out here to get away from all that. I haven't touched a drug for… going on ten years now."

"Interesting story. I'm guessing you want to hear my one now?" Naruto raised an eyebrow but couldn't bite back a smile.

"I didn't believe you were a tourist for a minute." The man told him. "What's your name, son?"

"Naruto. Uzumaki Naruto. And, as a formality, what's yours old man?"

"Hatake Kakashi." Kakashi replied simply, offering a smile. "So are you going to tell me what your story is? I'm intrigued now." Naruto exhaled loudly, palming his face.

"Which one?" he asked comically. Kakashi raised an eyebrow.

"So you've had that kind of life? It's a miracle you're in one piece." Naruto nodded in agreement.

"I know. It's all about contacts now. And I've got some good ones." He looked out at the rolling waves of the ocean, sighing lightly. "I'll tell you my most recent story, if you like. It's not a very long one either. Dates back about a month or two. I took on this rich kid when his family died – felt sorry for him – and turns out he's got a bounty of about ten thousand ryo on his head. That was at the last count anyway. So we came out here to hide out for a bit and now we've got no place to stay because our money's running out. I came here thinking we'd be able to hang out with some boozers or hookers."

"It's surprising, isn't it? That there are places in the world without people living on the streets. I came here thinking the same thing." Naruto's spirits lifted somewhat.

"And you've got a job… How did you do it without ID?" he asked excitedly.

"A fake one, my friend. You can't live without one out of the city." Naruto's heart sunk again. He hugged his knees to his chest. "I'm retiring soon. The government brought in a new law that said disable people, like myself," he tapped his plastic leg, "can retire. That's good for me. A pension and no work. If they'd told me this ten years ago I would have laughed in their faces. It's funny how life changes."

"Hear, hear," Naruto murmured.

"Don't lose faith yet, Naruto. I like you. You're that good apple in the barrel of scum." Naruto wasn't sure if that was the right expression, but went along with him.

"Oh, s_ure_. I've already screwed up loads. What good apple does that?" he asked sarcastically, making a flippant hand gesture.

"You're being too hard on yourself. Everybody screw up. If life was straightforward it'd be boring, right?" Kakashi gave him a friendly punch on the arm, startling Naruto with his easy informality. Naruto summoned up a smile.

"Thanks. But I think I could handle boring for the rest of my life." He grinned apologetically at Kakashi, who was rolling his eye good-naturedly.

"You don't know what you're saying. I'm living the boring life and even though I endured a whole lot of bad things I miss my old life. I guess we become a little masochistic." Naruto tilted his head pensively. Kakashi was the up-beat voice of reason he needed in Red Hill. Usually Jiraiya would be that voice for him.

"You remind me a lot of a friend I left behind," he told Kakashi. Kakashi smiled.

"That's refreshing to hear after so long living the middle class life."

"Now you're just rubbing it in, Kakashi." Naruto smiled ruefully and Kakashi head up his hands.

"No, no, I swear." They both chuckled. Naruto suddenly felt heaps better. He asked Kakashi for advice on job hunting in Red Hill. Kakashi hummed thoughtfully before answering.

"I have a proposition for you. I work seven days a week from March to September and three days a week from October to February. I'll tell you that it's not easy to push this thing through the sand with my bad 'leg'. What do you say to doing those three days for me until March and then five days from March until you leave? I'll split the wage seventy-thirty. It's one thousand, eight hundred ryo per hour and you'd do six hours."

"Seventy-thirty?" Naruto scoffed incredulously. "Have a heart; I need to live on this money."

"Fine, I'll go sixty-five-thirty-five. Highest. You need a job, don't you?" Kakashi wiggled his fingers tantalizingly. "You have no ID, no résumé, no work permit…" he teased in a sing-song.

"How much will I earn?" Naruto grouched, unwilling to accept such a stingy cut but desperate for work. Kakashi did the math in his head.

"Works out to… divide by ten… multiply by three… half of ten… that's six hundred and thirty to you per hour. Multiply that by six is… three thousand, seven hundred and eighty. And when you do that three times a week, it works out to about ten thousand odd."

"That hardly pays my hostel! It's about three thousand per night!"

"Take it or leave it, kid. I doubt you'll find better." Naruto growled loudly in irritation. He'd been cornered.

"Fine, I'll take it. But if the money doesn't cover my hostel, _you_ can find me a cheaper one or pay it yourself."

"We'll see when it happens," Kakashi teased. "Right. I'll show you where the bin is kept, hand you the keys, tell you your hours and all that lark."

* * *

Naruto opened the door as quietly as he could. Sasuke was apparently sleeping, eyes closed and under the duvet. The room smelt stuffy, like sick people, and Naruto wrinkled his nose. He tiptoed over to the bed and then leapt on top of Sasuke, who awoke with a yell. He perched on Sasuke's side and ruffled his hair playfully, grinning broadly.

"I," he puffed up, ignoring Sasuke's attacks to his legs, "have a job. C'mon Sasuke! Show me some love!" Sasuke blinked at him, so surprised he paused his punching.

"R-really?" he asked. Naruto bared his teeth in an even bigger grin and nodded proudly, putting his hand to his chest in a gallant gesture.

"Yes. I said that I would never fail you, Sasuke. I have saved you from abandoning Ayame, your beloved shower. Now, worship me!" Sasuke shoved Naruto off him but couldn't stop the simple happiness away. He managed an almost-smile.

"Thank you. Thank you, Naruto." Sasuke felt no embarrassment in thanking Naruto for what he'd done. He'd felt the best he'd felt in weeks. Well, until Naruto pissed him off…

"Jeez, Sasuke. You sound so **gay**…"

And then he continued cheering loudly. In song form.

* * *


	22. Killing for a kickback

**Diamond in the Dirt**

**Warning: Rated M**

Author's notes: A quick update! Huzzah! Thank you so much for your astonishing feedback for chapter twenty-one! I'm so happy!

* * *

**Chapter twenty-two  
Killing for a kickback**

Shikamaru's wrist breaking made a sickening crack as it was crushed under Sai's foot. Temari stifled a whimper with her knuckles, fighting every instinct to throw herself at Sai for fear that Shikamaru might actually be killed. Sai kept a wary eye on her as he moved his foot onto the left side of Shikamaru's back, preparing to break his ribs. How long would it be before she cracked? Shikamaru had managed not to make a sound yet, apart from to tell Temari not to give Sai the contacts. He appeared to be slipping into unconsciousness now, sweat pouring down his pale face and haggard breath puffing from his open mouth in short gasps. His eyes were half-closed.

"Uzumaki's contacts." Sai repeated. Temari bit down harder on her knuckles, sobbing around them. Shikamaru gave her a warning look and received a kick in the leg. _It isn't fair!_ Temari screamed at him mentally. _You're not seeing you get hurt! _She gave another loud, shuddering sob.

Sai stepped down hard on Shikamaru's back and Temari squeezed her eyes shut, tears falling from her eyes. Shikamaru made a strangled sound and fell silent.

"Please," she choked out, "no more." She couldn't let this go on any further. But was it too late? Could her Shik be…? "I'll give them to you if you'll just leave him a-alone."

Sai stared at her coldly and gave Shikamaru a hard kick in the side, sending him sliding across the stone floor. Temari choked out a cry of despair. He was unconscious, made no noise. "Can you get them?"

"Yes! Yes, I can get all of them. Just, please, no more. He's… Just… please, no more." It hurt her more than she knew she could hurt to have to turn away from Shikamaru to get Sai's information, but she couldn't go to him now. Sai might… She cried properly, tears streaming down her face as she copied names out of Shikamaru's book onto paper for Sai. She could barely see through her tears.

HARUNO, Sakura  
Jiraiya  
Haku  
UMINO, Iruka  
SABAKU, Gaara  
Tsunade  
Shizune  
INUZUKA, Kiba  
SABAKU, Kankuro  
SABAKU, Temari  
HYUUGA, Hinata  
UCHIHA, Sasuke

When she saw her two brothers' names recorded she had to stop to breath. Sai cleared his throat to indicate she hurry up.

It had started as such a normal day too. They'd spent the night and half of the day searching for a missing sibling and when, after twelve hours with no new leads Temari became irritable and demanded a pit stop at his apartment.

"A salad," Temari said firmly when Shikamaru suggested take-out.

Sai had been waiting for them outside the building and Shikamaru had invited him in. He had some 'business' for Shikamaru, he'd said, and she'd offered him some tea so that they could talk more informally as Shikamaru's services were very relaxed and unofficial. She recalled he'd asked for green tea because it had been a nightmare to find. None of the clientele drank green tea; Shikamaru only had it for the sake of having it.

Sai had started out friendly enough. He'd asked Shikamaru about income and his success rate. Made enquiries about how he worked. Temari had been curious and, never one to hold her tongue, had asked him how he worked. He'd shown her his infamous notebook.

His notebook was something else. Each 'case' or person he was looking for had a different colour code. He marked the person's status beside their name as 'deceased', 'incarcerated', 'fugitive' or 'resolved' according to what course of action he had taken on them. Accompanying each name was a photograph – a mugshot – of when they'd been found. Over the next pages there were newspaper clippings, other photographs, copies of birth (and death, if that was the case) certificates and various other documents relevant to the case. There were many hand-drawn pictures of the people which, Sai explained, he drew himself based on descriptions he was given when photographs were not available.

It didn't bother Temari in the slightest that Sai's searching involved all aspects of finding, including killing. For a time she had wanted that kind of job for herself – it looked glamorous, didn't it? Imagine: Sabaku Temari, _femme fatale_, devastatingly gorgeous but incredibly lethal. She believed she had it in her to be responsible for a person's death. If they deserved it.

Sai had entertained her. That's why it was so unbelievable that Shikamaru was now fallen, unconscious, on the living room floor and she was handing him Uzumaki Naruto's contacts.

"So, Nara. I've got good business for you." Sai had said seriously once Temari's supply of questions had been exhausted. "Paid, of course. And not a small amount."

Shikamaru had barely flickered, but Temari had been engrossed in the negotiations. She had felt so thrilled to be in on this _legend's_ work. "Oh? And who are you working under now?" Shikamaru had enquired politely, a knowing smirk on his face. "No one too troublesome I hope?"

Sai returned a cool smile. "Not at all. He bears a certain degree of prestige and is, ah, generous with his money. He is quite pleasant to work for." Temari had realised then how expressionless Sai's face was. She had been impressed. Star-struck.

"And you're bringing a share to me? Must be 'scum', then. Am I right? Perhaps something to do with your phone call?" Shikamaru had leaned forward in his seat. Temari remembered that she had immediately felt uneasy. What phone call?

"Indeed." Sai had replied mildly. "I require a few 'contacts'. Related to, ah, the name you mentioned to me during our regrettably brief conversation. Perhaps you could confirm a few facts for me?" Sai had sent her a cool, calculating stare, judging her. She had felt very unnerved.

"It depends on the nature of your business," Shikamaru had responded calmly, closing his face. Temari had been surprised at that. He was just about as expressionless as Sai.

"Only tracking. Retrieving. If you could look at this photograph…" He had pulled a folded A4 print out from the pages of his notebook and handed it to Shikamaru. Temari had peered at it over his shoulder. It was all her fault Shikamaru was hurt now.

"Hey!" She had exclaimed in shock, missing Shikamaru's warning look. "That's Naruto and Sasuke, isn't it?" She had then looked expectantly at Shikamaru waiting him to confirm. Her heart had sunk when she saw him try to recover his power – she'd messed up. Big.

"That's them," Shikamaru had confirmed grimly. How much damage had she just done? "What does you business entail, exactly."

"I need Uchiha Sasuke. I want you to tell me where he is." Shikamaru had opened his mouth to tell Sai that he knew nothing of Uchiha Sasuke but Sai cut him off. "Now that I'm one hundred percent certain that he has some kind of relationship with Uzumaki, I would like to find Uzumaki. I need his contacts – unless you're willing to tell me where he is…?"

"Who exactly is looking for him?"

Sai had narrowed his eyes in amusement and smirked. He had raised his head slightly, mocking Shikamaru. "I can't say. I have a confidentiality policy."

"I have my own confidentially policy to uphold, Sai. I can't give you Uzumaki's contacts." Shikamaru had stood, preparing to show Sai out. Sai had remained seated, and had only smiled a little sadistically.

"I see. But I think, sometimes, rules have to be broken. Don't you? In fact, it might be best for everybody if rules were broken just this once." Temari had gotten to her feet at that point, unsure of what to do. It had become extremely obvious to her that Sai was very dangerous. He had no soul, killing people when he was hired to do so, and more than capable of doing anything to get the information he needed from Shikamaru. Temari had been terrified for Shikamaru's – and her own – life.

"You can threaten me all you like, Sai. I won't change my mind. Uchiha's suffered enough without being put through your retrieval."

That was when Sai punched him in the face. Temari had squeaked, hands flying to her mouth as Shikamaru fell to the floor, hitting his head on the corner of the coffee table. Bright blood dripped from a cut above his eyebrow immediately, and Temari ran towards him. Sai told her to stay back. That was how things had gotten so bad.

Temari handed him the list of contacts. "Please, go. Just go," she choked out. Sai gave her a cool smile, folded the paper in half and tucked it into his book. Temari watched him, tears falling from her eyes, waiting for him to go. She could barely stand, she was shaking so much.

"Thank you very much, Temari. I hope you'll understand that I can't possibly pay Nara Shikamaru anymore." He bowed his head politely at the fallen Shikamaru, sending Temari a humoured smirk. "I hope you have a pleasant evening. Ah, and don't worry, I'll see myself out." He walked calmly over to the door and let himself out, leaving Temari free to run to Shikamaru's side.

She collapsed beside him, looking desperately from his bruised and bloody face to his broken wrist. She couldn't even think of what state he was in beneath his shirt. Oh god. She was wracked by sobs, frantically stroking his hair. She had to check his pulse. She had to. But she couldn't bring herself to do it. What if Shik was dead? A strangled howl escaped her. She buried her head in her hands, breathing labouredly. She shakily reached out to feel for the pulse in his neck.

She had to turn away to cry quietly as she felt around his neck for his pulse point. What if…? Could he be…? She had to force herself not to finish those questions so that she could carry out the task at hand. She was so relived when she felt the regular beats she started crying harder all over again. She called for an ambulance.

_Dammit! _She sniffed back her tears and wiped her eyes. _Dammit. If anything happened to her brothers or Shik... got worse… because of that Sasuke… she… she wouldn't hesitate to go after him herself._

* * *


	23. Fucking

**Diamond in the Dirt**

**Warning: Rated M**

Author's notes: If you read this, I think I might have to reward myself. In a fit of nostalgia and insomnia I wound up reading this story and enjoying it so much I felt an overwhelming sense of pride. I am attempting to continue writing. Please forgive me.

* * *

**Chapter 23  
Fucking**

Out of the three dominant niches that formed the superstructure of poverty, prostitution had been agreed as the population with the greatest perks. It brought in the most money, gave shelter, food, hot showers, products for pampering... yes, to an outsider it probably looked like a spa break.

However, Sakura often wondered whether she _should_ be thanking her stars she had a roof over her head and food in her belly. In those scant moments she was alone she felt overwhelmed with revulsion for what she did everyday – and what she had done countless times before and would probably do again.

She tormented herself with hopes of finding true love. She wanted somebody to whisk her away from the brothels and love her – her knight in shining armour. Just like every girl dreams.

People forget you are human when you sell your body. To Sakura – and the other whores – it was a means to an end. To the observer it was seedy; a symptom of low self-worth. A whore doesn't deserve respect. Those who do not frequent brothels envision disease-riddled, drug-addled, plastic dolls. Those who did frequent the brothels thought worse.

To both parties, whores were something less than human. Objectified. Prettified. Sexualised. Little more than mannequins, dressed to attract customers. Treated like commodities – very fitting of the society they lived in, caring only for capital. Some hookers said they felt a sense of satisfaction when a rich man came into the brothel for their service – they claimed it brought down the high walls around the wealthy for just a few moments.

Sakura could not see it. It only made the walls higher, if anything. The rich did not come for equality. Their wives were their equals, and they came to the brothels to abuse those who would accept it.

Lying back, staring at the ceiling of her room, Sakura sighed and let her fingers slide down the silky material of her babydoll. They rested on her stomach. She was waiting for her next customer, but was finding it very difficult to hold herself together. Her last customer had been very rough, and she hadn't been able to get herself very wet. He hadn't allowed her to use lubricant, claiming he enjoyed the friction.

She worried briefly whether she was pregnant. The last time she had found it difficult to focus on her job it was because her hormones had gone slightly haywire with a budding baby. She had hastily aborted it, before she could dwell too much on it. Of course, the few times it had happened before, it had always broken her heart a little bit, wondering if it was Naruto's.

The soft spot she had for him was indiscernible. Incomprehensible even to herself. She didn't believe it was love, because he did not love her. He was the only one who made her come the way she came when she was with him. He could make her wet with just a brush of skin on skin. She couldn't control herself when they fucked. Just thinking of him stirred something in her. She slid her hand lower, up under her skirt to touch herself.

She teased herself with her eyes closed, picturing his blond hair and blue eyes. He was so sunny. He brought light with him wherever he went, as corny as that sounded. What a rare gift he had, and how fortunate she was to have met him. She slipped a finger into her hole, gasping as she grew wetter instantly. She bit back a moan. Her free hand circled her left nipple.

She slid her finger in and out slowly at first and then faster when she introduced a second finger. She was writhing now, still holding back her moans of pleasure. The hand at her nipple moved down to tug her small patch of pubic hair and skirt over her clitoris. When she came, she squirted. Hot liquid dribbled out of her to pool around her back side. She removed her fingers and lay still for a few minutes, eyes still firmly closed and breathing heavily.

Her customer entered the room without knocking. A regular. He got an excellent view of her exposed cunt. He grinned wolfishly and began unbuckling his belt and unfastening his zipper. He got onto the bed on all fours and crawled between her legs, licking her. She arched her back – so sensitive. He looked up at her, eyes glinting with something animalistic. Sakura pouted sexily.

"You kept me waiting," she purred. "I couldn't bear it." She put her two wet fingers into her mouth and sucked gently, keeping her eyes on her customer. "I want you to fuck me however you want. I want you to come inside me... or all over me." She sat up a little awkwardly and pulled the babydoll over her head so that she was bare. She cupped her breast and offered it to him.

"Please," she whispered ardently, "I need you."

* * *

Of course, he received no special treatment. She followed a script in her job, and only altered it for those with particular fetishes. She was an actress. She could enjoy her job on occasion if the sex was good and it was good more often than not. She had a few creeps, but she had an alarm she could ring should things get frightening so she never felt she was in any danger.

She could barely remember how she had ended up in the brothel. Her parents were a lifetime away, their faces nondescript and unfamiliar. Hell, she wasn't even sure the person she pictured as 'dad' was not, in fact, a customer. She was not an addict; she didn't sell herself for drugs or alcohol. She didn't know why she had no money.

As well as a murky past, Sakura's also had a muddy future. The average retirement age was twenty three – after this they tended to take part in sordid peepshows or switch niches. Some became exclusive to one particular customer. Others moved to a 'mature ladies' brothel – the desperate option. Maybe one or two got lucky and started a family, or found a real job. Sakura saw herself in each scenario and belonged in none. She supposed she could fade to nothing, the final option.

It was almost comical; she had an expiry date.

She thought that if things had been different and she had been rich, she would not have allowed people – real people, walking and talking with hopes and fears and dreams – to do what she did. Where were the charities she heard so much about? Where was their help going? She couldn't get her head around the misanthropy that perpetuated the hundreds of thousands of people with the power to change things. When had the blame fallen on them? Why were their desperate lifestyles deserved?

She couldn't bring a baby into this world. Even with financial stability she could not open a child's eyes to the injustice in her world.


	24. The Unknown of Uchiha

** Diamond in the Dirt**

**Warning: Rated M**

Author's notes: Call this chapter two of my comeback. I'm ashamed to admit I had to re-read the story to write this chapter, and I'm hoping it'll turn out to be a long one! Or long-ish. I can always come back to it – I've spotted loads of typos in my reminder of the storyline. I also have some bad news – the notebook of ideas I used to write the twenty two chapters of 2008 has gone AWOL. I swear I saw it just the other day... hrmph. Luckily for you guys, I found some scraps of storyline in various other notebooks – gotta love my back up plan.

Sorry to those I promised the chapter would be out on Sunday - I'm a busy lady! Working full time is NOT NICE, to those who do not work full time. Those who do, sympathise (and empathise) with me!

* * *

**Chapter 24  
The Unknown of Uchiha**

Weeks passed in Red Hill. Naruto worked for Kakashi, and Sasuke stayed indoors. Brooding mostly, helping seldom. Naruto left him alone to think; having Kakashi's job occupied him to a degree that he did not pester Sasuke quite so much as he would usually. Their relationship had turned far more amicable, and they grew comfortable around one another.

Kakashi eventually allowed them to move in with him and his pug, Pakkun, sleeping in his living room on the floor. Sasuke grouched about it a lot. It had made his back stiff and sore and his mood darken considerably in the mornings but he quite liked the little dog. Kakashi liked to wind him up even more than Naruto did, which was unfortunate because both Sasuke and Kakashi rarely left the house. Kakashi stayed home because his leg hurt mainly – but he was a lazy man. Sasuke's reason was slightly more difficult to define.

"Uchiha," Kakashi drawled at eight-thirty one sunny morning. Naruto had left fifteen minutes ago and Sasuke was doing his best to sleep. He exhaled angrily and opened his eyes.

"What?" Sasuke glared over at the grey haired man. Kakashi lived in a modest studio flat, and he was peering at Sasuke over the kitchen counter a cup of tea steaming beside him. Sasuke bit back a rude comment.

"Don't get shirty, lad, I'm just being friendly," Kakashi smiled brightly. "Listen to what I got to say, eh? I've got something you might like." Sasuke raised an eyebrow expectantly, humouring him.

"What is it?"

Kakashi pushed a tourism magazine off the edge of the counter so that it landed on Sasuke. Sasuke was suitably startled, which made Kakashi chortle. Hearing the noise of the magazine making contact with Sasuke, Pakkun skittered over inquisitively to Sasuke. With a quiet grumble of outrage, Sasuke almost threw the magazine back at him, but an article on the front cover caught his eye. "Uchiha?" he read his surname out loud. The article was on the 'Home of Uchiha Madara'. Sasuke hastily opened the contents page and found the article.

_The Uchiha family is a relatively new family when compared to the wealthy clans of today traced back hundreds of years. Uchiha Madara, founder of the clan, was born 24__th__ December one hundred and twenty years to date. It is a clan of many branches, with descendents of Madara ruling the clan claiming to hold the purest blood. Uchiha Madara is well known for the murder of his brother and his subsequent exile and even today specialists debate the reason for Uchiha Izuna's untimely demise._

_It remains the popular belief that Izuna and Madara's complex relationship spawned from sibling rivalry from a young age. Sources described Madara as a genius "destined for greatness". It was apparent from a young age that the eldest brother was a leader, although some called him "tyrannical" in his youth. Little is known about his mother and father, although it is speculated both came from far removed branches of the Hyuuga clan, and the lesser known Oto clan. The Oto and Hyuuga clan are still thriving clans in society today, the branches from the main line spreading to many countries around the world._

_The Uchiha clan prided itself on purity; for the generations after Madara's exile marriage was arranged between cousins until the clan grew. Still the smallest of the reputable clans, the Uchiha family made its name among the wealthiest families in history. Madara became a little-known legend, and members of the Uchiha family spoke of him with little admiration or gratitude. _

_So what happened?_

_Izuna and Madara were competitive. Their education shows equal grades, top of their classes and schools. Both were given multiple school awards and trophies. Both were Prefects, and then Head Boys. Despite a five year age-gap between the brothers it seemed that they shared an intense rivalry one for the other. _

_Izuna and Madara both married wealthy women from branches of the Hyuuga clan, with evidence to suggest that these unions were prompted by their father. The wealth and reputation of the clan soared with the birth of their children, and many other clans brought forward their daughters to be chosen for marriage into the main line of the clan. Only those with the purest of blood were accepted into the main line of the clan, and some branches were allowed to form to ensure the continuation of the clan should numbers dwindle. _

_Upon the death of Izuna, a separate branch from the main line was formed. The children of Izuna wanted nothing more to do with Madara and his authoritarian ways and moved away from Red Hill. There are many descendents of Izuna alive today, and other clans bear a disdain for members of the Uchiha clan born from descendents of Madara. Despite being held in low regard, descendents of Madara claim to be true Uchihas due to their "purer blood". Descendents of Izuna, however, call the blood of members of the Madara branch "dirty" because of the blood spilled many years ago. This indicates that the rivalry was indeed perpetuated through clan members through every generation. Cousins turned their back on each other and went their separate ways. _

_The Madara branch remained in Red Hill for the following century, and although Madara had left a large clan when he was exiled, three or four generations on saw a severe decline in Uchiha birth rates and high infant mortality. The clan began to fade. _

_On the other side of the country, Izuna's branch thrived. A final victory for the brother, Madara finally conquered. The last living relative of Uchiha Madara at the time this article remains anonymous._

Suitably silenced and shocked out of his grump, Sasuke closed the magazine to look at the date the magazine was published. Twenty two years ago – he looked up at Kakashi. "Why do you have this?" he asked.

Kakashi shrugged, looking slightly more serious than before. "Your name rang bells, so I visited the library. There's not much written about your family, is there?"

Sasuke felt uncomfortable. He'd always been discouraged from asking questions. "We- they – are a very private family." He did not know why. But he'd never thought of his family history as incredibly important, they were like the samurai in his history textbook. They weren't exactly _real_ to him. "Why do these clans matter?"

Kakashi shrugged again. Pakkun sat down beside Sasuke and leant against him. Sasuke scratched his silky ears idly. "I wouldn't know lad, I just find it a mite strange. You hear about these Hyuugas everywhere, don't you? They've got a museum for Madara and hardly any information to go with him. And you hear things about him when you're on the streets. I'm surprised you ain't."

Sasuke pursed his lips, thinking. He only remembered what Naruto had said, and he'd forgotten the important bits. Surely they weren't that important in that case? And apparently Orochimaru had prompted Jiraiya to tell Naruto the story. If he ever returned to the city he'd ask Jiraiya. "Hn. I know an old man who knows the story. But he's somewhere I think it wise to avoid for now."

"Mmm, these are dangerous times we are living in. Lots of bad people, lots of bad things happening to good people."

* * *

Sai walked into the brothel, dismissing the receptionist's greeting. He walked straight up the stairs, knowing exactly where his first target was. He felt so joyous when his plans required little attention. It made him feel _so good_. He could feel a smile wanting to form at his lips but he put it away in a corner of his mind. He would enjoy this later with a good piece of information and the aftermath of some violence, perhaps.

He knocked politely on the wooden door. The receptionist had followed him upstairs and spoke: "sir, you can't come up here; all our ladies are busy at the moment. If you'd like, I could-" Sai held up a hand for silence. She stared at him a little gormlessly.

"I'm here on business. Do not interfere." He sounded calm but he was irked. She had interrupted his excitement. He touched the handle of the knife tucked into the waistband of his pants through his shirt. The girl looked uncertain, but something made her retreat rather than argue with him. Satisfied, he knocked on the door again, louder. Evidently nobody was home – how very troublesome for him.

He pulled a bobby pin from his pocket and fiddled with the lock until it sprung. _Excellent_. He entered the room.

It was very shabby. Very plain. A bottle of sake lay on its side beneath the chair in the corner, the bed was unmade. The lights were out and the window was open. Sai could not help but feel a little... disappointed.

He debated briefly on whether or not to ask the receptionist for the man's whereabouts but did not want to look foolish. It made perfect sense to wait for the old man to return – catch him unaware? _Yeah, probably best_. He did not want to return empty handed: Sai always got what he wanted. By fair means or foul, although he was partial to the latter.

He looked around for somewhere to sit. The bed was unmade and the chair in the corner had seen better days. He wouldn't risk sitting on it. He opted to make the bed and sit on it to wait. He had lots to think about and some plans to make should this one fall through. _In the unlikely event_ that this one fell through. Sai's plans never fell through.

As he fluffed the pillow and stretched the duvet taut across the mattress, he saw that the bedside table had a tiny draw. He opened it smoothly, and saw it was full of papers. He could read over them, they probably held some useful information. Seeing as the man he wanted to see had let him down he didn't see the harm in gaining some second hand evidence, sometimes it proved just as good as questioning the, _ahem_, 'witness'.

Not nearly as fun, however. Sai was slightly wistful. He settled cross-legged on the bed to read.

* * *

"Good afternoon, Sasuke! Kakashi!" Naruto called cheerily, slamming the front door. Sasuke winced from the armchair on which he was reclining - sideways on, legs over the arm – Kakashi always yelled when Naruto slammed the door.

"Don't slam the damn door, you brat!" At the sound of his master's voice, Pakkun began to bark. Sasuke sighed. He should be used to this cacophony by now.

"How was it?" Sasuke asked lazily. Naruto frowned at him and ignored his question:

"Have you been sitting in all day again, Sasuke?" Naruto flopped down on the free armchair, exhaling loudly. Sasuke made a 'tch' noise and wouldn't meet Naruto's eyes. "At least tell me you've eaten, bastard!"

"Yeah, I've eaten," Sasuke lied.

"No, he hasn't," Kakashi interjected, smiling sadistically. Naruto glared at Sasuke.

"Oh, come on, Sasuke! What's the problem this time? I bought food you like this time!"

Sasuke felt slightly humiliated at being scolded and was irritable. "I'm not hungry, what are you going to do? Force me to eat?" The second the words left his mouth he regretted them. Of course Naruto could force him to if he wanted to: he hadn't eaten a proper meal for a good long while, and hadn't exercised for even longer. How could he fight him off if he tried to force-feed him. To his surprise though, the moment of opportunity passed without a retort from Naruto. He caught sight of Kakashi's disappointed expression out of the corner of his eye.

"Nah, do what you want. I'm sure you're not stupid enough to starve." Sasuke must have looked put out because Kakashi gave a loud 'HA' from the kitchen. Naruto glanced over at him and quirked an eyebrow questioningly. Sasuke liked this 'superior Naruto' a lot more than the normal one. Why, with cool comebacks like that one, he could almost be considered an equal.

"Do you want to walk Pakkun with me, Sasuke?" Naruto asked Sasuke. Pakkun trotted over excitedly at the word 'walk'. Sasuke considered it briefly.

"Hn. Fine." He hadn't been out-out in a long time. It'd probably do him a lot of good: stretch his legs and breathe fresh air. Air he was sharing with Kakashi, that weird old man. Sasuke felt perfectly safe around him though – he wasn't Orochimaru weird. Anyway, Naruto had a knack for staying out of danger's way.

Sasuke clipped the dog lead to Pakkun's collar at the door and followed Naruto out. Kakashi lived on the ground floor on account of his disability and so they walked straight out onto the street. Pakkun immediately started sniffing around and stopped various times to mark his territory. Naruto and Sasuke walked, staccato, to the beach.

Once on the sand Sasuke unclipped Pakkun and let him run free. Once it hit mid-March Pakkun would no longer be allowed on the beach as the weather started warming and the tourism picked up. For late February, the weather was balmy. Naruto did not miss the city in that moment. Sasuke threw a piece of driftwood for Pakkun to fetch, but the dog ignored it. Naruto laughed softly at Sasuke's disgruntled expression.

"Smart dog," Naruto remarked. "He must know that you'll only throw it again if he fetches it for you." Sasuke gave a flicker of a smile despite himself. He felt so calm here by the sea. Even the burning curiosity he felt about Uchiha Madara was quelled. His problems were distant.

After ten minutes of walking in silence, Sasuke stopped and sat down on the sand. Whistling for Pakkun, Naruto followed suit. The obedient little dog stayed close but stared longingly at the ocean, panting. Sasuke's legs felt tired. It really had been a long time with no exercise, and he began to reprimand himself for allowing himself to reach this level of helplessness. He grit his teeth and tried to regain his state of calm.

Naruto's eyes flicked to him for a fraction of a second, half-knowing what passed through his mind. Naruto would never have let himself become unfit, but Sasuke was oh so very different to him. He could hardly chastise him; he didn't exactly _have_ to leave the flat and he wasn't running away here.

"So, how was work?" Sasuke asked awkwardly into the silence. Pakkun's ear pricked at the noise.

"Alright," Naruto scratched his head absently. "Not much litter to pick up at this time of year. Red Hill's pretty empty." To be honest, Naruto felt restless. Without his friends surrounding him, his life had become slightly empty. Sasuke was amazing – in a league of his own – but Naruto's friends had always been by him. And he'd left them behind. He also missed the challenges the city presented him with. He longed for the bustle of the markets and brothels and the general seediness that pervaded there.

"I'm going to take Pakkun paddling," Naruto said, standing up. The last thing Naruto wanted was Sasuke catching onto his gloominess. Sasuke raised an eyebrow.

"It's a bit cold, isn't it?"

"Nah," Naruto said dismissively, "it's practically spring. The sea'll be a bath!" Naruto stood up and brushed the sand off his pants and ran childlike towards the ocean. Pakkun chased after him barking happily. Sasuke felt an odd feeling of detachment from his surroundings.

The air was wet with a faint chill. He supposed some would call this weather 'mild'. He called it dreary. Sasuke did not know what he was doing here. He supposed he could find out about his family history, find the Izuna branch. His father was from that branch, but he'd never met any of his aunts or uncles or cousins. His mother wasn't an Uchiha, and he knew nothing of her family except that she was wealthy and the only offspring of his maternal grandparents. He couldn't remember meeting his grandparents, but had apparently seen plenty of them as a baby. When they'd passed away Sasuke did not know.

Naruto had reached the water by now, and had shucked off his shoes and was rolling up the legs of his trousers. Pakkun was already running in and out of the small waves barking excitedly and biting at the foam. Sasuke smirked as Naruto put his foot in the cold water and howled, doing a mad dance. He was determined though, and eventually joined Pakkun with the chase. Sasuke hoped he wouldn't complain too much about being cold on the walk home.

"Sasuke! Come join us!" Naruto bellowed across the sand.

Sasuke stood up and walked slowly towards them. He had no intention of going into the water. Pakkun scampered excitedly to him and then ran a full circle around him and launched himself back into the water. Naruto laughed and kicked water at the dog. "Now I know why Akamaru and Kiba are inseparable – dogs are great!"

"Hn. As long as I'm not the one washing him when we get home he's 'great'. He got dirt all over the bathroom when he shook himself and Kakashi used that as an excuse to get the flat cleaned. You had this genius idea, you wash him."

"Ah, Sasuke, you're too lazy. I've been out working all day," he whined, looking beseeching. Sasuke growled.

"No."

"Fine. I'll wash him. It's fun, he loves the water." He was hoping to trick Sasuke into doing it by reverse psychology. It didn't work.

"Don't get in the bath with him this time. He's probably crawling with parasites and diseases." Naruto let out a full bellied laugh.

"Ha! I've probably got more of those than he has!" Sasuke's face twisted with disgust. He prided himself on his cleanliness.

"Idiot. That's not something to be boastful about."

Naruto shrugged and grinned broadly. "I'm freezing. Let's go back. Look at my feet – they're blue!" He extracted a foot from the water and waggled his toes at Sasuke. Blue was an exaggeration, but they were slightly grey. Sasuke grimaced.

"I told you it would be cold."

"It's not so bad." Naruto pulled his socks onto his wet feet and slipped his shoes back on. "You should try it sometime. It's... invigorating."

Sasuke responded dryly: "I'd call a day with Kakashi invigorating. Everything that old man says energises me. With fury." Naruto chuckled.

"He's not so bad. At least we have a place to stay and food to eat." He glanced sidelong at Sasuke meaningfully. "Well, I have food to eat. What's up with you?"

Sasuke immediately felt squirmy and uncomfortable. "I'm not hungry. That's all." Sasuke mentally flicked through hundreds of subject changes. Should he tell Naruto about Madara? No, he wanted to keep his family to himself. He settled on making a promise he wouldn't keep. "I'll eat tonight. I'll make something for myself."


End file.
